This is another damnable condition ravaging the Church. It synergizes with lack of appreciation to cause much harm to the ministry (cons. Deut.32:30).

 

Selfishness can be simply defined as the attitude of being concerned only to satisfy one=s own desires and being prepared to sacrifice the feelings and needs of others in order to do so. The selfish is concerned only with his personal welfare, with total disregard to that of others. It is a loud expression of absence of divine love (cons. 1Cor.13:4-5), and a sure ticket to eternal damnation (cons. Matt.10:32-35, 38,39, 16:24-26).

 

Selfishness is another evil culprit behind the apathy of professionals to full identification with the ministry’s work (cons. Judg.5:15b-17,23) causing the dragging of feet on invitation to Church  work (cons. Neh.3:5, Matt.7:15-18, Lk.9:59-62); giving of unacceptable excuses for procrastination, or tendering unworkable or unrealistic preconditions for acceptance of offer (cons. Lk.14:15-20, 1Sam.11:1-3, 1Kgs.20:1-8, Dan.2:3-12); emphatically offering suggestions on way forward but being  seldomly available when action is required (cons. Matt.21:28-31, 15:7-8, Prov.14:23).

 

It varies in degrees from person to person.

 

It is behind the rendering of hasty or substandard services (to Church or brethren) because of the pursuit of some other personal engagements. This includes refusal to give thought to the office being held or assignment given in the ministry while the focus is on personal matters (cons. 1Sam.2:3, Prov.24:12, Col.3:23-24).

 

It must be realized that for our vision to prosper, there must be a paradigm shift to a generalized appreciation of the magnitude of our mission; and at such, selflessness would be the natural progeny (cons. Isa.49:5,6, Neh.6:2-4, 5:1-12, 4:12-17, 21-23, 2:17-18, 1:1-4).