A Not So Modest Self-Reflection
People often describe themselves as being selfless. In a world where we are constantly exposed to the trauma of selfishness, being selfless is often seen as a positive attribute. When pressed further, people comfortably rattle off examples like giving up comfortable seats, paying for expensive group meals that are not their own, and even apologizing for actions one never purposely committed.
However, the New Oxford American Dictionary defines the word, selfless as “concerned more with the wishes and needs of others than with one’s own.” While the aforementioned may appear to be great instances of selflessness, most people are only selfless as long as their altruistic act never interferes with their own wishes and needs. This begs the question of whether or not one can truly consider themselves selfless if the acts in question, never cause discomfort, inconvenience, or put the “selfless” person at a disadvantage.
Nevertheless, in all of history, the best example of a selfless person was Jesus. Isaiah 53 repeatedly juxtaposes Christ’s status, physical nature, and condition with the world’s less than enthusiastic response. Furthermore, Isaiah 53 tells us that Christ refused to prioritize his wish and need to avoid dying a painful death so that we could have the promise of not only salvation, but also that of heaven as well as a reunion with God.
Therefore, the next time you find yourself tempted to rationalize, brag, or declare yourself as “selfless,” ask yourself “what did the selfless act cost me?” If you did not find yourself uncomfortable, disadvantaged, or inconvenienced, then was it truly a “selfless” act?
