The apostle Paul wrote: ‘Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand’ (Philippians 2:2-4 MSG). Selfishness wreaks havoc in every type of relationship. It often stems from an inflated ego, and it leads to comparing, competing, and condemning. James pointed that out: ‘Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.’ So learn to spot it, then the moment it appears, you can uproot it! ‘Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many’ (Hebrews 12:15 NLT). It isn’t always easy for us to live in harmony with others – it takes constant patience, grace, and compassion – but the sooner we learn to do it, the better things will go! When God prompts us to ‘turn the other cheek’, or ‘take the short end of the stick’, we can draw on His grace and do it. Pray: ‘Lord, give me Your wisdom in this situation.’ He will. ‘The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and…good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness’ (James 3:17-18 NLT). So starting today, resolve to avoid selfishness and be a peacemaker.
