It isn’t a crime to serve yourself. How many of us have been there: family dinner. There is something wonderful, your favorite dish, perhaps, at Thanksgiving. But it’s also everyone else’s favorite dish! You, being the fine Christian you are, being the living example of Christ you strive to be, sit back, and let everyone else pig out on your favorite. You miss out. On the surface, you feel good: you sacrificed for others. You subjected your own will to non-selfishness.
But was it worth it?
No, it wasn’t.
People who constantly engage in martyr-like behavior (not in the “I die for you” sense of the word martyrdom) are actually contributing to their own detriment. By always sacrificing and never making yourself a priority, you actually end up laying down a foundation of resentment—and even a good portion of pride.
Everyone knows that “pride goeth before a fall.” And it is true. Someone who is overly proud is vulnerable to attack; they aren’t humble and they don’t listen to God well, because they have built a wall of pride between themselves and the voice of the spirit. They are so focused on their own importance they can’t hear the still, small voice.
What does this have to do with serving yourself and being too self-sacrificing? Everything. You can turn yourself into a doormat, a selfless sacrifice for the needs and desires of others…but it turns into an insidious form of pride. You internally say, “Sure, I didn’t get what I wanted…but I am showing that I am the better person by sacrificing my own needs.” While this is true to a certain degree, overweening pride for your selflessness is just as bad as boastful pride for your material accomplishments.
A good deed done with bad intentions (in this case, doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, to make yourself look better) is not a good deed. Think of the story in the Bible, where Jesus tells us that there will be people who go forth and do good deeds in His name, but for the wrong reasons. In the end, they will come to judgment and say, “Lord, lord, I did thus and such in your name,” but He will tell them, “I didn’t know you, or your deeds.” I am paraphrasing here, of course, but you get the gist. Doing right for the wrong motivation isn’t right. Nurturing yourself by taking care of yourself isn’t sinful, it’s essential, and it’s pleasing to God.
Serve God by treating the body, mind and spirit He gave you with respect. Serve yourself first and serve God. He gave us this earthly body; respect it by taking care of it. Eat properly. Exercise. Make yourself more attractive inside and out. This is pleasing to God, and it makes you healthier and wiser. Nurture your spirit and mind through following your passions, by prayer and meditation. You will feel better about yourself, and when you do make sacrifices for the needs and wants of others, they will be truly from your heart.
When you have learned to love yourself the way God loves you, you have discovered a principle of wisdom. You have proved your willingness to be a good steward of what God gave you (yourself), and you are serving Him by exemplifying His nature, which is a good one, that cares for everyone—and that everyone includes YOU!
Speak Your Mind