The art of being selfless

"Through selfless service, eternal peace is obtained."


I am not quite sure where I heard this quote, but it is one that has stuck with me like glue. What does it mean to be selfless? Doing something for another person just because. Not because it is something that you necessarily would do out of your own motivations, but rather because you notice that it is important to someone else. I have to admit that I don't always act in a selfless manner. I get overwhelmed as I look at my planner and see that my day is full of meetings, class, work and other commitments. I think that this is something that most other people can relate to. I don't often do things that I don't want to do because I look at time as such a difficult thing to give up, especially if it is for something that isn't directly benefitting myself. How awful does that sound? Pretty selfish if you ask me. However, as I was reading through some verses this morning, I stumbled across one that was a wake-up call. 


"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." -Philippians 2:4


Hmm...there are some verses in the Bible that are difficult to understand, but this one seems pretty straightforward to me. Last night my sorority had a workshop where we talked about ways that we could improve as a chapter. Our open motto says, "We live for each other," but that is not a motto that we always live out. The motto is focused around my blog topic for today which is selflessness. It makes me sad to think that I don't act out of selflessness on a daily basis but rather out of selfishness. I am selfish with my time and while I do feel like I am supportive of my close friends and family, I am sometimes ignorant to those that I do not hang out with on a daily basis. This needs to change. I need to start living for those around me by supporting them in the things that they do. I need to live for God everyday...not just when it is convenient for me. My goal and hope for myself is to become someone that people associate with selflessness. This adjective is a challenging but attainable reality if I start looking for ways to reach out to those around me without my own selfish desires as a motivation. So here is my challenge to you: Live for God and live for one another; only then, will you be completely at peace.