Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
“I Wanna Talk About Me”
In 2001, country music artist Toby Keith released a comical music video perfectly illustrating selfishness. The song, “I Wanna Talk About Me,” is about a man’s huge frustration in his inability to pleasantly converse with his girlfriend/wife who only wants to talk about herself. Being selfish is natural — just watch a two-year-old pitch a fit to try and get his/her way. Little people learn this all on their own; no one has to teach them how to throw a tantrum. With both of my kids, I discovered what the parenting books called the “terrible twos.” My son was probably the best worst example of the “TT” simply because his fits were thrown in public and my daughter’s were hurled at home. Aaron wasn’t too bad to shop with until we got to the checkout counter where the candy was displayed. Of course he wanted all of it, and of course he couldn’t have any of it. So the selfish fit began and all I could do was pretend to be deaf while he continued on and on even as we exited the building. However, his life took a different direction once we got home. He finally learned that he didn’t like what happened when we got home.
Selfishness is a real problem in our culture today. Many people seem to have little regard for other individual’s feelings. The entire push in the world today is “self.” But being selfish is not all it’s cracked up to be! Jesus was a lot of things and selfishness was never anything He exemplified. Christ followers say we want to be like Jesus, walk like Jesus, love like Jesus, and think like Jesus. And that’s exactly right — He’s our example. So can we put our money where our mouth is?
To be a follower of Jesus, we have to dethrone ourselves and enthrone Christ. God can’t do all He desires with us if we’re still calling the shots. If we’re still pitching fits and wanting our own way, we really need to grow up spiritually. One day Jesus called the crowd to join His disciples and said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34 NLT). Jesus made it plain that we must follow Him, smash selfishness to smithereens, shoulder our own cross, and humbly follow His leading.
Those who live a life of self-indulgence are basically wasting their life away. “Don’t think only of yourself. Try to think of the other fellow, too, and what is best for him” (1 Corinthians 10:24 TLB). It’s simply not possible to have yourself on your mind all the time and be happy. Happiness comes from being good to others — it’s a ricochet effect.
“Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another” (Romans 12:10 TPT). Competition often brings the worst out in people, but this scripture would be an exception to that thought. Getting caught red-handed in doing loving acts of kindness would be something to celebrate!
Selfishness has been a huge problem since Adam and Eve. God warned them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed and ate it anyway. Their selfishness brought sin into the world, introduced suffering and death, and severed their close and beautiful relationship with God.
The Key: It’s time for believers to pitch a final fit and smash selfishness once and for all.