Our own health, wealth, and gratification
(James Smith, "Gleams of Grace" 1860)
By nature, every man is nothing but
a mass of selfishness, seeking
self-gratification in a variety of ways!
The less we indulge SELF, the better.
Selfishness is . . .
the bane of our happiness,
a bar to our usefulness, and
renders us unlovely to both
GOD and others.
One of the most beautiful traits
in the character of our LORD and
SAVIOR, was HIS unselfishness.
HE never seemed to please HIMSELF,
or consult HIS own ease. HE was
everyone's servant, and everyone's
friend. Through HIS whole life,
HIS own testimony was illustrated,
"The SON of Man did not
come to be served--
but to serve, and to give
HIS life a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:28
We are naturally selfish, and seek
our own health, wealth, and
gratification, as our grand end.
Selfishness clings to us, and appears
more or less in our whole conduct.
But the gospel calls for self-denial,
and bids us take up our cross, and
follow our self-denying MASTER.
The gospel requires dedication to GOD,
that we may live to HIM and for HIM; and
it directs us to seek the good of others--
of all that are around us.
What the gospel requires--
true grace produces; and it will
struggle and fight with all our
selfish principles until it prevails.
We have lived long enough for ourselves!
Would not we be more happy,
and profitable to others--
if we were less selfish, and
more thoroughly imbued with
the self-denying spirit of CHRIST?
Do we not live too much to ourselves?
Do we not think too much of our own
comfort, and pleasure, and ease?
vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. Each
of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as
that of CHRIST JESUS." Philippians 2:3-5
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