Precious
I understand what I am about to say is not popular and it might cause some to unfriend, unfollow, disavow, etc.
But, I firmly believe the one trait all humans are born with and for the most part we all die with is selfishness. Some to a greater degree than others, but part of our DNA is self-preservation. I have said this for years in the pulpit and elsewhere.
I had really forgotten how selfish children can be until I had the thrill of observing my grandson on a nearly daily basis for the past two and a half years. He has toys. Lots of toys. And he will be happy to tell you they are his toys. And sometimes he will go well beyond the bounds of his status as a child to tell you that they are his toys.
Now I love my grandson and he is a great young child. But he also has that innate selfishness that all 2 year olds have. If he is playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are looking at or even thinking about a toy he is quick to point out that it is “MINE!”
We really never grow out of this selfishness. I would give you the task of naming one sin that isn’t born out of selfishness. I have tried, I can’t think of any. In some form or another our sins are for our benefit even when we try to blame them on anybody but ourselves.
I recently began thinking about even the selfishness we have when those who are Christians die. Oh, you don’t think we are selfish then? We wish we had more time with them. We didn’t want them to die. They will leave a void in our lives. While this sounds harsh, those feelings are selfish. I am not saying they are wrong, but they are selfish.
Why do I say that? Because David saw death as God sees death when he penned these words in Psalm 116, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.”
Death is precious? It is to God. It is His creation coming home to worship Him for eternity. A place John says there is no sorrow or pain. No sickness, no sadness. All is peace. Why would we want someone to leave a place like that? Because we are selfish.
Again, it is a normal and right to mourn a loss. But understand it is not a loss for the one who dies if they gave their life to the Lord. It is precious.
But, I firmly believe the one trait all humans are born with and for the most part we all die with is selfishness. Some to a greater degree than others, but part of our DNA is self-preservation. I have said this for years in the pulpit and elsewhere.
I had really forgotten how selfish children can be until I had the thrill of observing my grandson on a nearly daily basis for the past two and a half years. He has toys. Lots of toys. And he will be happy to tell you they are his toys. And sometimes he will go well beyond the bounds of his status as a child to tell you that they are his toys.
Now I love my grandson and he is a great young child. But he also has that innate selfishness that all 2 year olds have. If he is playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are looking at or even thinking about a toy he is quick to point out that it is “MINE!”
We really never grow out of this selfishness. I would give you the task of naming one sin that isn’t born out of selfishness. I have tried, I can’t think of any. In some form or another our sins are for our benefit even when we try to blame them on anybody but ourselves.
I recently began thinking about even the selfishness we have when those who are Christians die. Oh, you don’t think we are selfish then? We wish we had more time with them. We didn’t want them to die. They will leave a void in our lives. While this sounds harsh, those feelings are selfish. I am not saying they are wrong, but they are selfish.
Why do I say that? Because David saw death as God sees death when he penned these words in Psalm 116, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.”
Death is precious? It is to God. It is His creation coming home to worship Him for eternity. A place John says there is no sorrow or pain. No sickness, no sadness. All is peace. Why would we want someone to leave a place like that? Because we are selfish.
Again, it is a normal and right to mourn a loss. But understand it is not a loss for the one who dies if they gave their life to the Lord. It is precious.
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