Biblical love vs. Selfishness

Well someone else posted something similar to this, but it is what I have been learning so I’ll post it anyway. The thing that keeps coming back to me are the two greatest commandments. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Paul has a lot to say on these subjects. This love carries the idea of being more concerned with their well being, than you are for yourself. I often think, “Greg, you have to love people more.” I am not usually very worried with how they are doing, but just fulfilling my duty. The other day I took a look at this subject through Paul’s epistles.
In Romans 1:9-10, Paul is saying how he makes mention of them continually in his prayers. In vs. 11 he says, “ For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.” Here is stating the reason he wants to see them, that he may help them in their spiritual life.
Phil. 2:3-” Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Biblical love doesn’t just mean being kind to them, but actually putting their needs ahead of yours. Ouch!

In I Cor. 10, Paul is talking about our spiritual liberties causing problems with other believers-especially younger believers. Paul states that these are our liberties and that we are not sinning by enjoying them; That is, unless these liberties are causing the downfall of another Christian. Here again is question of who is more important to you. I have the right to enjoy these liberties, but if it causes the downfall of another Christian, I should place their concerns first. Paul concludes chapter 8 saying, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” Paul tells us Cor. 10 24-”Let no man seek his own , but every man anothers wealth.” Verse 33- “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”

This kind of love is incredibly difficult for me to have. Phil. 2:21- “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s”. To put it simply, mankind is naturally selfish. Paul had an incredible love for others. Two examples that absolutely blow me away are that of Moses and Paul. Moses pleaded with the Lord not to destroy the Israelites. In Ex. 32:32- “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin-; and if not, blot me , I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Paul says in Rom. 9: 3- For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

Those verses really stuck out to me. How much do I care about the spiritual well-being of other people? How much have I really sacrificed my time and energy for others? Christ greatest command was to love him, and then to love others. The two go hand in hand, you cannot separate them. Well that is what I have been learning. I definitely need your prays in this area! Well this is three times longer than I wanted it to be, but I guess good things don’t always come in small packages:-)
Greg