Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other… - 1 Corinthians 10:24
If we are being truly honest with ourselves, the idea of thinking of our others before ourselves is perhaps the hardest of Christian concepts. It isn’t that we refuse to what is good or right. It isn’t that we do not know how to care for others and show love. We are simply hardwired to worry about self, first.
It would seem that if we were made in the image of God that it would make more sense that we are wired to care for others, but we must remember theologically that we gain this image of God, and grow into the image of God through faith and the acceptance of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thus, before we gain this image we have ‘fallen short of the glory of God.’
Out salvation starts us on a journey that draws us to be more like Christ, and in that we start to consider what it is that we have to offer to God, and how we live out the call to love our neighbor as ourselves. We, of course, need to first learn how to love ourselves as God loves us, and I know there are times even that is a struggle. To truly get to the place where we seek to do what we can for the glory of God, and looking out for the interests of others, is to search deep within and realize that there are times when the decision we make as an individual has a great effect on our relationships with others. Or we may be in a position at some point where the decision we make effects the life or livelihood of others. My understanding of Paul’s message is that we should really consider these choices, and honestly think not only to our advantages, but how these decisions will impact our neighbors whom we say we are to love.
There are plenty of times where there are no good decisions, or times when we know a decision might cause hurt or pain to someone else. It’s doesn’t make it a wrong decision, it just means we need to own our choice, and help a person understand we were doing the best we could for the benefit of all. The higher up we might be on a social, political, professional level, the more difficult those decisions can be. However, I believe through grace, understanding, and having a character of love and compassion might help even those effected negatively to understand we all strive to do the best we can for the glory of our God.
Grace & Peace,
Sam