1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
[4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. [6] Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [7] It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
As we continue our study on how to truly love people, we look at this next phrase,"it is not self-seeking." Other translations simply say "it is not selfish." So "self-seeking" is being selfish. We all know what being selfish is. However, let's see the proper definition for it:
Selfish- concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself: seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.
I think the biggest idea here is that selfish people have no regard for others. They do not care about others. They only think about themselves. We all know this kind of person. We know what selfishness looks like.
It is easy to see how love is not selfish. Love involves our decision on how we will treat other people. If we are selfish, then we are not thinking about other people, only ourselves and our well-being. So, if you're selfish, you will not care about the people in your life. Thus, you will not be loving them.
What does it mean to not be selfish? It means living your life concerned about the well-being of others. We care about them and help them in whatever way we can. This is loving them.
Jesus was our perfect example. He took care of himself, but lived to serve others. We take care of ourselves, but should live to serve others.
We humble ourselves before God and mankind to be servants to all mankind just like Jesus did. Look at the example he left us:
John 13:1-17 NIV
[1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [2] The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. [3] Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [4] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. [5] After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” [7] Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” [8] “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” [9] “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” [10] Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” [11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. [12] When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. [13] “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. [14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. [15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Loving people we take care of our needs, but live to serve others. We never neglect our well-being, but attend to it daily, while we meet the needs of others. This is how we decide in advance how to treat people, how to love them.
We "deny ourselves," "lay down our lives," "lose our lives," in service to others as Jesus did:
Mark 8:34-35 NIV
[34] Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [35] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.
1 John 3:16 NIV
[16] This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
This is what Jesus meant when he said:
John 13:34-35 NIV
[34] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Another term used to describe this is:
Self-sacrifice- laying aside one's personal interests or well-being for the sake of another.
Let's explore scriptures about this:
Matthew 16:24-25 NIV
[24] Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Here are two examples of self-sacrifice:
What Jesus said to the rich young ruler and what the Samaritan did in the Parable of the Good Samaritan:
Matthew 19:21 NIV
[21] Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Luke 10:30-37 NIV
[30] In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. [31] A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. [32] So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. [34] He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. [35] The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ [36] “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” [37] The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Don't cause someone to stumble in their faith:
Romans 14:21 NIV
[21] It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
1 Corinthians 10:24 NIV
[24] No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
We live for Jesus now as we follow Him.
2 Corinthians 5:15 NIV
[15] And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
We serve Jesus now by serving others:
John 12:25-26 NIV
[25] Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
[3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
1 John 3:16-18 NIV
[16] This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. [17] If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? [18] Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
So, let's not be selfish. Let's live to serve and help others like Jesus did. Lay down our lives for others like Jesus did. This is loving them.
Why do this? So they will experience the love of God through us. Then they might want to be saved too.
Love you all dear readers,
Jeffrey Post
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