I’m taking a Challenge

I have a lot of selfishness.  And it’s time for me to acknowledge it more fully.

But first let’s start with my problem.

I tend to overlook my selfishness and minimize it, because of something Jesus called the splinter and plank syndrome.  Matthew 7:3-5

You know…. I see your splinter but for some reason I don’t see the plank in my eye. 

As an experiment I decided to make a list of 50 ways I see selfishness in myself.  Mostly I made this list by looking at things I commonly do and then compared them to what I would do if I was truly loving.  A few were things I’ve noticed in others.  I was disappointed in how easy this was to create.  Didn’t take a lot of brain cells.  Philippians 2:3

Why just 50?   Because it was getting to be after 10pm and I was too selfish to stay up and do another 50.  Really.

(I’m wondering if this shouldn’t make the Guinness Book of World Records because I don’t remember anyone else listing 50 symptoms of selfishness on their blog…)  

Selfish 101

1. I like to criticize and nit-pick others when they disappoint me
2. I don’t often feel empathy about other’s difficult situations
3. I have people that I regularly avoid because I dislike them
4. I am irritable, grumpy, frustrated and annoyed
5. I avoid menial tasks at home or work (cleaning, handling bills)
6. I think that rules don’t always apply to me and that I can bend them
7. I don’t have much time for others, unless they can help me get something done
8. My personal interests/hobbies are a top priority in my week
9. I attribute other’s errors to their character and my errors to the situation I’m in
10. I wait until the last-minute to purchase gifts for my loved ones
11. I avoid interacting with people who appear different from me
12. I don’t pray that much for others because it’s difficult to schedule
13. I find asking for forgiveness very difficult or impossible
14. I am prone to feeling sorry for myself and my problems
15. I tend to focus on building relationships with people who can help me in life
16. I have high standards and are quick to complain when they are not met
17. I tend to be defensive when questioned or think I am being criticized
18. I can be a people-pleaser who wants to impress the right people
19. I am feel comfortable with white lies, if they keep the peace
20. I will withhold embarrassing information from my spouse or others close to me
21. I often forget to do things others have asked me to do
22. I often worry about things that are not important
23. I don’t listen well to what others are really saying
24. I want to believe many of my problems are caused by others
25. I often believe that life is unfair toward me
26. I wait to forgive others until they apologize for what they have done
27. I don’t take the initiative to be romantic or loving to your spouse
28. I will exaggerate things or name-drop to impress people
29. I have occasional thoughts of revenge and getting even with others
30. I expect my spouse to read my mind and know what I want
31. I often don’t clean up after myself hoping others will do it for me
32. I believe I’m too busy to pitch in and help others I encounter
33. I am easily annoyed when my schedule or plans are interrupted
34. I may spend a lot time away from your family to meet my personal goals but excuse it as meeting family needs
35. I accumulate lots of things but find it difficult to give them away or sell them once they are unused
36. I feel I deserve the finer things in life, because I have paid your dues
37. I consider myself a private person and keep others at a distance
38. I will form grudges and become easily offended when others offend me
39. I often wonder why more people are not like me so things would be better
40. I feel the need to control others and my environment so I am happy
41. Other people’s children are often annoying and I have little patience for them
42. I have high standards and am prone to judge others as less than
43. I secretly think I’m better and smarter than some people
44. I don’t have close friends who I share my real self with
45. I find it hard to laugh at myself or the funny things that I do
46. I like my alone time and doing my hobbies, which is most of the time
47. I find it difficult to maintain a meaningful devotional time during the week
48. I feel like my spouse or others close to me, owe me something
49. I can be jealous of others who have had more “success” than me
50. I rarely share the gospel with others because I am too focused or busy
    

    Questions to Consider: 

    • Are people basically good but they learn to be selfish after birth? Or do people start out selfish and become better at it with practice?  Romans 3:10-12
    • Do find yourself doing good things for selfish reasons and justifying it?
    • How does selfishness most often appear in your life?  Who around you gets the brunt of it?
    • Who is the most unselfish person in your life? Proverbs 21:2

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