Free to be selfless

It often seems as though we love freedom, but we’re not so fond of responsibility. On a broader, societal scale, I personally believe this is one of the underlying issues that we face a nation. People want to be able to do what they want without having to face the consequences or responsibility that often come with it.

This idea of selfishness, even in the church, is not a new occurrence. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul wrote, "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

It seems as though Paul was dealing with a situation where people in the church wanted to use their freedom to do what they wanted, without really considering other people.

In another letter, Paul says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” (Galatians 5:13-15)

So often in the church, we look more like the world than we are willing to admit. We want things our way, whether that’s style of worship, meeting our “needs,” or catering to a host of other desires we have. If we aren’t careful, we sound more like a group of individuals than a body of believers.

Jesus dealt with this attitude among his twelve disciples. When the mother of James and John asked for her sons to have a special place of honor, this is how Jesus responded…

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

Unfortunately, many people act as though church is another place to exercise their right to have what they want. They often exercise their freedom without considering their responsibility to the rest of the body. Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” (Matthew 12:25) While he wasn’t referring directly to the church, his point stands true for us today. When the church is full of people who fight for their individual rights, that will lead to division. And a church divided will be ruined and will not stand. This kind of selfishness is slowly destroying our nation and a lot of churches. If we are really going to be followers of Jesus, it’s probably time for us to listen to his advice and stop being so self-centered.

shine!
Jason