Selfishness is the product of sin in our bones. It is next to pride in the deaths it causes. Selfishness makes for a very unhappy life. It positions the bearer at the top of the ladder and assumes that everyone else is beneath him. What he discovers, hopefully before it’s too late, is his choices to put himself first actually result in him being dead last. Selfishness never gets ahead; it always loses.
The Bible tells a story about a selfish man who never realized his fate. His name was Nabal, meaning “fool.” He was very rich and was married to a beautiful woman named Abigail. One day, while the fool was out shearing his sheep, David (as in, the King) sent word to him. “While your shepherds were near us, we protected them and cared for them. They didn’t lack anything. Now, please take care of us. Will you send us some of your food to feed my men?” (This story is found in 1 st Samuel 25.) Nabal laughed at David’s request and sent his men home empty-handed. When David got the word, he strapped on his sword and headed off to teach the fool a lesson. When Abigail got the word, she went into action. She loaded up enough food for David’s men and went out to meet him. She apologized for the foolish
actions of her husband and asked David to not punish her family for her husband’s stupidity. David relented and went home. When Abigail told Nabal how she’d saved him and the family, the Bible says, “his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. Ten days later, the Lord struck him and he died.”
When selfishness is carried out to its full extent, it always ends in isolated death. No parties. No mourners. Just an old Scrooge, surrounded by piles of money and all the regrets of what could have been.
The Bible paints a beautiful picture of selfishness’ counterpart. We call it selflessness and it’s defined just like the name sounds. A self-less person makes it his life goal to pour himself out. The self-less person is content to be at the back of the line, she doesn’t make a fuss about not being recognized, he is willing to take a hit if it means good for someone else…selflessness is never going to fight for first place. As I write these words, I realize how unreal they sound. Who does this? Really, who lives like this? That answer comes quickly: the person who knows Jesus lives like this. They can choose selflessness because Jesus has met all their needs. They don’t need to scramble for attention, because He sees them. They don’t need to protect their assets because they know all their stuff comes from Jesus. The self-less life is simple and content. It’s willing to give instead of take; bless instead of curse. It’s full and surrounded by friends at the end because of the impact it’s made on everyone else.
The proposed millage is just one opportunity for you to choose selflessness in our town. There are also a thousand other ways for you to get in line. I encourage you to pick one. Give up your Scrooge-y-ness and begin to give your life away. In the end, a whole town of people will gather to remember you. You wonder what they will say? It will be something like, “I want to be just like her when I grow up!”