Others Focused or Self Centered?

We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. ~2 Corinthians 6:6 (NLT)

The bible teaches that being understanding is one of the ways in which we prove ourselves and show our faith.  To be “understanding” towards another person means we are sympathetic and compatible with them.  One of the best ways to be understanding is to make what is important to others important to you.  How often do you find yourselves doing that?  More often than not we are looking for someone to be understanding towards us and make what is important to us important to them.  If we are going to show the world the love of Christ, we are going to have to turn that around and put others before ourselves.   We are going to have to start concentrating more on others and less on ourselves.  When we do this, it opens the door for God to take care of us.  Trying to meet your own needs is exhausting but meeting the needs of others can be invigorating!  Take notice in your conversations, are you trying to get others to want what you want?  Are you trying to get them to believe what you believe?  Do you want or feel like you need them on board with your plans and your perspectives?  The results of that type of mentality are going to be frustration and disappointment because what we want and expect from others might not always line up with what God wants and expects from them.  We are told in Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (NIV)  It’s easy to believe that for ourselves, but do we believe it for those the Lord has placed in our lives?  What would your prayer life look like if you were trusting that God was revealing Himself to the people in your life and guiding them and holding them in His care, just like you?  For me it would result in a lot more thanksgiving and a lot less petition!  More often than not when we are praying for others, we are praying for our will for their lives and we justify it because we believe our will is Gods will, but that just isn’t always the case.

Scripture is clear that God’s will for our lives is to be “other’s focused” not being self-centered.  In Philippians 2:4 we read “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (NLT)  And again in 1 Corinthians 10:24 we are told “Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.” (NLT)  Who are you being sympathetic and compatible towards?  Or how about this…whose desires and needs are you putting first today?  Yourself or others?  Make it the people God puts in your path, and He will bless you for your obedience to His word.  Don’t expect others to conform to your will, expect them to conform to Gods will.  Trust God to work in them and with them to become all that He has created them to be.  After all, He created them in His image, just like you and all the promises you have, they do too!  Live to love and give and trust God with the rest.  The Lord has promised that what we do for others, whether great or small, He will do for us.  Lay down your will for others and give them the freedom to live for and learn from God the way He created for them to.  Isn't that the very same freedom you would like for others to give to you?

Do to others as you would have them do to you. ~Luke 6:31 (NIV)

Who are you being sympathetic and compatible towards? Whose desires and needs are you putting first today?

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