Many of the choices I make each day are based on "what will I get from this". I do things that I don't want to do, to "keep peace", or because it pleases me, makes me happy etc. Selfish sums it up.
Even when it comes to interacting with people, or maybe especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships, this is true.
Within the small circle of my life, it is staggering --the number of people who have never had a true friend, ever. Aside from the LORD JESUS.
What is commonplace is people associating with people who have similar interests, or from whom they might gain prestige, or be noticed. They look at others as stepping stones to the next level on the social ladder. Yes, even in Christian, and church circles, it is typical to meet people who could care less WHAT you know, but WHO you know. This is the way of the world.
I will admit that I have fallen into that myself. You have people whose writing you've read or messages you've listened to, and they have been a tremendous help to you, and so, it is in our nature to want to meet them. Isn't that what groupies do? There are christian groupies doing the same thing.
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Philippians 2:3,
If we all tried to do this, there would be no lonely Christians, none that felt as outcast among us.
This saying was on plaque:
In the whole world you might be one person ,
but to one person you might be the whole world .
The unanswered email, forgotten return call, overdue thank you.... seemingly insignificant in the big picture, but to the one waiting on the other end, it might be everything.
