By Lisa Wilmore
My Dear Friends,
Epidemics such as Tuberculosis (TB), Cholera, Ebola, Smallpox, etc. have vexed many parts of the world and continues to blight the nations and people today. However, this message does not deal with these types of epidemics, but “the epidemic of selfishness and greed.” Selfishness as defined by Stephen Davey (2012), “is having the attitude that people exist merely to meet my agenda, my wishes, and my needs; therefore, the value of anything (people, church, God, etc.) is determined only in the light of what they do for me” (Nehemiah, Widom commentary Series, 104). It is always about the individual but never about God and others.
Do you live a space and place in your lives where it is always about you? Do you have the “Me, My and I” syndrome? Well, believers must soften their hearts when it comes to understanding that there really are needs that can be met in our communities, if we take self out of the equation. Our love toward one another should be like that of Jesus’ love toward us.
There are many instances in the Bible that reveal the selfishness of people with self-centered agendas. Namely, the wealthy Jews, in the Book of Nehemiah, who oppressed the poor and those who needed their support to be able to eat and provide for their families. These Jews caused their brothers to mortgage their land while inflicting high taxes on money loaned to them. When Nehemiah heard about this, he became angry and took action. These people were selfish and only cared about themselves (Nehemiah 5:1-5).
Of course, there is a God who sits high but looks low. He knows our thoughts and our intentions. He sits in the middle of our conversations as well as divisive thoughts and selfish plans designed to strain and hinder His work-saving souls. Interestingly, selfishness and greed are a “stain on the carpet” of not only in America but on a smaller scale, our churches, also.
Would you agree that an epidemic of selfishness and greed have always been a part of our nation? However, when believers exemplify selfishness, others must act. As Christians, we must dispel the spirit of selfishness and greed by ensuring that our desire is to please God and not man as well as helping those who may be blind to their selfish ways. Particularly, a selfish person wants to be noticed by people while unselfish people want to be noticed by God.
Well, before we begin pointing the finger at others, no one is exempt from this demonic strategy. This strategy is an epidemic for all of us. Everyone is subject to becoming lethally infected with selfishness. Nevertheless, we can overcome and defeat this infection by 1) obtaining a heart that pleases God, 2) denying self, and 3) loving others as Christ loves us.
Jesus Saves!
