I Am a Self-seeker

Selfish (as defined on www.merriam-webster.com) is being “concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself:  seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.”[i]

Have you ever watched a TV commercial that was supposed to be advertising a specific product, but instead (in their cleverness) provided you with another unintended? This seems to be the confusion I find myself in with one of the new advertisements regarding the Fifth Third Bank's faster mobile app.

This commercial starts out with the following introduction: “I don’t wait for anything. I get what I want when I want it. No exceptions….” From this point on things go quickly downhill as a selfish, debonair male actor (in his forties) with beard stubble instantly towel dries his hair from wet to styled, instantly makes bread to toast (with a toaster), instantly starts a campfire, instantly gets his dirty car turned into a shiny clean one, and instantly gets his steak at a fine-dining restaurant, and instantly catches a fish. In case you hadn’t noticed, life has its own rhythm, which is regularly unreliable to your schedule.

The behavior that tells us to get what we want whether it hurts someone (or not) reminds me of the chorus of a song by a popular country artist. Does this describe you or your communication (in any way)?

I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you, you, you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about me
I wanna talk about me[ii]

Both man (and the Bible) can provide insight on the topic of selfishness (that will assist you in becoming a more selfless).

1.  "Love is the doorway through which the human soul passes from selfishness to service." (Jack Hyles, pastor)

2.  "God loves us too much to indulge our every whim." (Max Lucado)

3.  “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:4, NLT)

4.  "Babies by nature are completely selfish. They think only of themselves and their own needs. They are incapable of giving; they can only receive. That is immature thinking. Unfortunately, many people never grow beyond that kind of thinking." (Rick Warren)

Your Heavenly Father wants you to have an existence like the one described in the chorus (of the following Christian song). Is this true of you?

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with You[iii]

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[i] A self-seeker is a person who is only concerned about themself.

[ii] “I Wanna Talk About Me” by Toby Keith

[iii] “Empty Me” by Chris Sligh