When we're selfish we're self-centered instead of God-centered and self-confident instead of God-confident. That's why Jesus says losing is winning and winning is losing:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-24
We have a wonderful motive for being God-centered:
“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” 2 Corinthians 5:15
As we grow in the Lord, we also become more considerate of others:
“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
Let's ask God if there are areas of our lives where we've been selfish. Are we neglecting family members and/or responsibilities? Are we easily offended, overly sensitive, and/or easily angered? Do we excuse our sins and keep a record of other people's sins?
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Yeah, it's a sad commentary on where we are at. Parenting is so hard. But I think society only sees the drawbacks and can't recognize the blessings.
ReplyDeleteSharing and pinning, friend...so well said. Succinctly and beautifully.
ReplyDeleteBe well and God bless
Yes. Well said! It's so sad how many are choosing to remain childless...essentially rejecting God's blessing on their lives. :(
ReplyDeleteExcellent truthful thoughts
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite verses. I see this a lot with many Christian friends. They only want 1 or 2 children and although that is fine, it is also a reflection of their parenting style and personality. Thanks for sharing at Mom's Library!
ReplyDeleteThere are good reasons for smallr families. Apart from the toll on a woman's health, 8 billion humans are too many for this planet , so smaller families will be better for all in the long run . Later marriage too is much better and probably more stable.
DeleteChristina,
DeleteI encourage you to read the statistics.
Later marriages cause problems with fertility and aging and lead to fewer children, and couples typically make this choice so they can pay for houses and have larger incomes before having children. And, as a woman who was married at 19, whose first home was an old 8'x34' trailer house and who worked as a waitress to put her husband through school and had her first child at age 22, I can tell you that my husband and I learned valuable lessons about the important things in life that have brought us through 55 years of marriage. I think it's more about life goals and values.
Lower birth rates seriously affect the well-being of individuals, families, and nations. It leads to populations that have far more elderly than young people. And this means younger people bear a greater burden in taxes to provide the funds for social security and Medicare for those who no longer work and tend to have greater health care costs.
It also creates worker shortages throughout the culture leading to slower economic growth.
But our problem is not because people are only having 2 children. It's because many married couples are choosing not to have children. And that is a selfish choice unless there are genuine reasons that they can't parent.
Very insightful!
ReplyDeleteGood post. Will save this to my journal app, My Diary.
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