Opportunity and gain. The end justifies the means. More money equals more happiness. Do what you gotta do to survive. You just gotta do ‘you’.
Any of those phrases sound familiar? Sadly, they seem to be the mentality of our current culture. I’d like to say it’s only a problem with our youth, but experience has shown me it most certainly is not.
I’m blessed to live in a country that enjoys freedoms many other countries don’t get. But there’s a price that comes with it, and it’s a price that isn’t always readily visible. I also live in a country that magnifies ‘self’ and minimizes everything else.
As long as something is good for ‘you’ that’s all that matters. As long as ‘you’ are happy, that’s what counts.
When did humanity become so selfish?
I’d like to say it’s a recent development, but really it’s not. We are born selfish beings right out of the gate, and it’s a battle to outgrow those tendencies as we become adults.
Our culture certainly doesn’t make it any easier. I’m guilty of being selfish too. With my time, with my money, with my feelings, with my ‘stuff’. We all are guilty to some degree.
As humans, selfishness is a natural state of being that we have to work hard to overcome. But that’s the key. You can be an overcomer. It is possible to leave your attachment to ‘self’ behind.
It takes awareness, it takes effort (sometimes it feels like Herculean effort), it takes humility (wait, humble? Who, me? Yes, you), it takes putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, sometimes even on purpose.
Let’s face it, moving from selfishness to generosity can be downright painful.
But letting go of your love of ‘self’, and turning that love outward to love others, to serve others, to ‘do unto them as you would have them do unto you’ and really take that concept to heart… there’s just no better way to live out the life you’ve been blessed with.
Living your life to serve others takes bravery. It takes guts and determination. It takes faith. And it’s scary as hell. Yet we all are called to serve, to give, to live generously. We are all called to be people who value other people more than things.
So my question for you is, do you have the courage to be the person you are called to be? Do you have the courage to let go of your attachment to ‘self’ and focus instead on the needs of those around you?
Our purpose in life always has been, and always will be, bigger than ourselves, if we’re doing it right.
So let’s be courageous together. Let’s reach out and serve someone.