Introduction by Bill Hybels
A columnist from Florida observed sometime ago that our world is made up of all kinds of people. He noted, for instance that there are dog people and there are cat people. There are swimming-pool people, and there are beach people. There are coffee people and tea people. There are Ice Capade people and hockey people. There are tennis people and golf people. There are breakfast people and people who can’t quite remember what breakfast is. There are sail people and powerboat people. There are suitcase people and garment bag people. I think you get the idea; our world is full of all different kinds of people. There is a kaleidoscopic variety of interests, values, and idiosyncrasies among human beings. But among all this incredible diversity, all of us are strangely similar in one area of interest. Do you know what it is?
Self-interest!
Self-interest is one of the few things that unify us as a human race. It is the kind of interest that makes four-way intersections so perilous. Four-way stops unmask the universal dark side of the human animal. “Me first.” “No, me first” “I’ll show you”. And this same self-interest makes the last piece of apple pie become the precipitator of World War III around the kitchen table. I think you know what I am talking about.
If we are going to be honest with each other and God, we have to admit that all of us struggle with old-fashioned, grassroots self-centeredness. It takes a tremendous toll on our quality of life at work, in our marriage relationship, in the parenting process, and with friendships. It even affects the life of a church. The “me first” mind-set filters every activity, decision, opportunity, and commitment on the basis of what it will mean for ourselves above all else. Will it give me pleasure? Will it forward my concerns? Will it increase my net worth? Will it make look good? Will it make me feel good? If so, let’s go. If not, I’ll pass. I would guess that self-centeredness has a greater grip on our thoughts, decisions, values, and relationships than we could ever imagine.
Our generation has been called the most self-centered culture in modern history – the “me” generation. But the “me first” mind-set is not a new phenomenon. In fact it is as old as mankind itself, and clearly traceable back to the days of Adam and Eve.
A dog says: you pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, and you must be God.
A cat says: you pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, and I must be God.
It is an interesting study on self interest which we will be meeting today once a fortnightly to touch on this sensitive topic, a search journey together on our self-interest life. What a great discovery that will impact our lives in each of the meeting.
A columnist from Florida observed sometime ago that our world is made up of all kinds of people. He noted, for instance that there are dog people and there are cat people. There are swimming-pool people, and there are beach people. There are coffee people and tea people. There are Ice Capade people and hockey people. There are tennis people and golf people. There are breakfast people and people who can’t quite remember what breakfast is. There are sail people and powerboat people. There are suitcase people and garment bag people. I think you get the idea; our world is full of all different kinds of people. There is a kaleidoscopic variety of interests, values, and idiosyncrasies among human beings. But among all this incredible diversity, all of us are strangely similar in one area of interest. Do you know what it is?
Self-interest!
Self-interest is one of the few things that unify us as a human race. It is the kind of interest that makes four-way intersections so perilous. Four-way stops unmask the universal dark side of the human animal. “Me first.” “No, me first” “I’ll show you”. And this same self-interest makes the last piece of apple pie become the precipitator of World War III around the kitchen table. I think you know what I am talking about.
If we are going to be honest with each other and God, we have to admit that all of us struggle with old-fashioned, grassroots self-centeredness. It takes a tremendous toll on our quality of life at work, in our marriage relationship, in the parenting process, and with friendships. It even affects the life of a church. The “me first” mind-set filters every activity, decision, opportunity, and commitment on the basis of what it will mean for ourselves above all else. Will it give me pleasure? Will it forward my concerns? Will it increase my net worth? Will it make look good? Will it make me feel good? If so, let’s go. If not, I’ll pass. I would guess that self-centeredness has a greater grip on our thoughts, decisions, values, and relationships than we could ever imagine.
Our generation has been called the most self-centered culture in modern history – the “me” generation. But the “me first” mind-set is not a new phenomenon. In fact it is as old as mankind itself, and clearly traceable back to the days of Adam and Eve.
A dog says: you pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, and you must be God.
A cat says: you pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, and I must be God.
It is an interesting study on self interest which we will be meeting today once a fortnightly to touch on this sensitive topic, a search journey together on our self-interest life. What a great discovery that will impact our lives in each of the meeting.
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