“I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle.” Jane Austen
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4
Egocentric: “centered in or arising from a person's own existence or perspective” New Oxford American Dictionary
Yesterday I talked about sharing our “whys.” Today I want to talk about finding other people’s “whys.” Why does you wife turn on the hair dryer at 7 am when you’re trying to get just a few more minutes of precious sleep? Why doesn’t your dad let you take the classic Camaro to prom? Or why does your husband constantly have to annoy you with his devastatingly boring and seemingly pointless car shows on saturday morning? At times, it’s easy to assume that others are thinking only of their desires. However, when we make an effort to see past our own desires and comforts, we might be able to see, that in many cases, those annoying things are done for our benefit. Maybe we should appreciate that our wife puts effort into looking attractive for us. Maybe someday we’ll thank dad for protecting that classic muscle car. So that we could inherit it someday, undamaged by terrible teenage driving. Maybe a husbands interest in cars could be appreciated for the interest and ability it gives him to repair the family sedan. We all are selfish in our own ways. Sometimes the greatest selfishness we can exhibit can rise from the assumption that others are being selfish toward us. I can’t count how many times I’ve assumed my wife was acting without considering my desires. When in fact she was deliberately trying to please me. But I was too wrapped up in my own little stupid world, I couldn’t see it. While it’s important to develop and communicate our reasoning, it’s equally important to recognize the reasoning and the “whys” of those around us. We might be surprised at how our outlook on the world can change, if we try to assume that others really do have good intentions.
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today? What did I learn today? What am I thankful for? Who did I love today? What am I dreaming for? What about today do I want to remember forever? What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thank you so much for reading, I appreciate you.
Jake
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Daily Self Growth Journal
Non-FictionThis story is intended to be a tool for the growth of whoever wants to use it. It is a daily journal intended to help us be more introspective. Every day I will do my best to supply a motivational quote, a Bible verse, a vocabulary word, and a perso...
