Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 1
Is all forms of selfishness a bad thing? When should you put yourself first? There are some people that uses others.
Speaker 2
That’s a really good question. And I think there’s something Jesus talks about putting others before yourself and putting the needs of others before yourself. Like if you look at Philippians, chapter two, talking about Christ people, if there be any consolation of Christ, not looking on the things of yourself, but looking on the things of others, that’s definitely a Christlike spirit to have to put other people’s first and before yourself, however, is there a time where you should take care of yourself? Yes, absolutely. And not allow yourself to be abused by other people. Yeah, that’s totally biblical. To also just set up healthy boundaries. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. It is a very biblical concept. And I want to show you a quick verse. Let me just look it up really quick. I know what it says, but I don’t remember exactly the exact place in the Bible and oh, do you know what I’m talking about? It’s the one I think I’m in the wrong version. It’s talking about, you’ll be worse than an infidel if you don’t basically take care of your household first. I need to go to the King James version.
Speaker 2
Yes, okay. First, Timothy five eight. And basically he says basically, but if any, provide not for his own like his own family and specifically for those of his own house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. So you should never put yourself in a position where you’re not taking care of your own home, your own family. You’re basically allowing yourself to be abused or taken advantage of to the point where you’re not being able to provide for your own self or your own home. That’s not in harmony with God’s will. God says that’s worse than invidel. You’re being foolish.
Speaker 1
Your own body is a temple as well.
Speaker 2
Yeah, exactly. And your own physical body, you need to protect yourself. You should not allow yourself to ever be physically abused by any way, shape or form that’s not in harmony with.
Speaker 1
God’s will or emotionally or spiritually. There’s a difference between self care and selfishness yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2
And self respect. And there’s nothing wrong with respecting yourself. Like, if you were in a relationship and if some guy was like, well, my sexual needs are more important than yours, and it’s like, well, no, absolutely not. That’s not in harm with God’s will. You can protect yourself. You can say no and put yourself first. And you’re protecting yourself first. Absolutely. 100%. There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s definitely a balance and again, wisdom that needs to be put into place. Of course, yeah. We need to not be selfish, but we also need to, like we’re saying, have self respect, have self care, take care of your own self because you are the temple of God in accordance to god’s will for you to care for yourself and not be presumptuous. Kind of like Jay was saying in that sin of presumption, just be like, well, I’m just going to let God take care of me. It’s like, Well, God gave you the ability to take care of yourself, and so he expects that of you. So, yeah, definitely. I think that’s very biblical.
Speaker 1
And there’s oftentimes a lot of people get this idea that to not be selfish, they have to just give, give, give. And that that’s the selfless thing to do. But that often is not actually the selfless thing to do. It’s actually often coming from a selfish place of rescuing and trying to make to fill a need of feeling important by giving when the giving isn’t actually needed or valued the same way as the gift is.
Speaker 3
And then you end up enabling sin.
Speaker 1
Exactly. Yeah. So there are forms of selflessness that appears to be selflessness that is actually driven still by selfishness. And there are forms of true selflessness that appear to be selfish when they’re not. And so this is where wisdom is needed. We live in a world full of confusion, and wisdom and discernment is very important to have in these matters because self care is not selfishness. Even though many people, a lot of times manipulators will tell someone who’s holding a boundary, you’re being selfish. No, you’re not being selfish by holding a boundary that is essential for you to be healthy and protected. That is actually a loving thing to do for the other person, not a selfish thing. But we live in a world that is so full of distortions that in undermining these truths or trying to undermine them on every front. And so that’s where we need the word of God to understand these important concepts.
Speaker 2
I know for sure. Mercy. Yeah. We can go all day on this. And oh, Uncle Mg has another comment. I like that. That is very true. He says go ahead.
Speaker 1
He says, Remember, Jesus had to get away from the crowds to pray and gain strength.
Speaker 3
Yes.
Speaker 1
I was thinking that when we started this topic, jesus had to remove himself from the crowds and take that time away to renew himself. And that was not nowhere would we ever say that’s a selfish thing. We look at that with respect and awe, right, because we need that. But now, if Jesus was like, oh, I’m going to go away from these people because I don’t like them and I’m just not.
Speaker 3
But what was the attitude, right? So it wasn’t like, well, I’m entitled to my personal time. Leave me alone for my personal time for me. Okay, then that’s being selfish. But if it’s, hey, I need to avoid sinning, to avoid having the plan of salvation being compromised, to help me be refreshed so that I can minister again to people I need to get away. That was Jesus’s mentality. And then he’s taking care of himself, but it still is actually putting other.
Speaker 2
People first so that he can give more later. Yeah, totally. And I love that verse. And he even told his disciples, come ye rest a while. And I remember I went through a period where I was doing way too much ministry and I was burning myself out physically and in every way. And there was a chapter in a really good book, and it was called Come You Rest a While. And I felt the Lord called me to that, and it was the hardest thing to read because I was like, well, no, I’m supposed to be doing ministry. That’s my life. That’s what I want to do, is give my life for the Lord. But God was saying, for you to give me your life, you need to learn to take a break and to put your own health before all these other demands that ministries are putting on me. And so that’s definitely right on target with that Uncle Mg. And I see Robert has one more comment, and then I think we’ll close for the night.
Speaker 1
He says, beautiful message. I agree. There’s a lot of manipulation in this world.
Speaker 2
Yeah, definitely. Sadly. And it comes from the devil because he’s a liar and the father of it. And so we just need to make sure, make sure we’re having that spiritual discernment that we know, like, okay, is this what this person is saying? Is this coming from a place of deceit manipulation, or is this coming from love and actual need for care? And so, yeah, may the Lord give you wisdom and bless you as you have to navigate through all these social situations that come up in life. For sure. And thank God we have the Bible and we have the Holy Spirit, so we can handle this by God’s grace.
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In His Service
BibleAsk Team
