Two Barriers

As I think about the idea from my last post, Lord, stepping forth to love others, that is not a natural attitude for me. It is not natural for me to think of someone else's needs above my own and it is not natural for me to spend a whole lot of time worrying about other people's problems.

I don't mean to say I don't help other people, but I only help other people when they ask for my help. I helped Joel and Jackie paint their house, but only when they asked me to. I helped Bryan clean his garage, but only when asked. I just don't look for the needs of others and take the initiative to ask if they want help.

And that's a kind of passive selfishness. I'm not demanding that everybody look at me and do things my way. I just don't really go out of my way to do things on the behalf of others. I don't involve myself with others if I don't have to. I'm afraid that if I was in the Good Samaritan story I'd be the guy who sees the injured man, and walks on by with a million "good" excuses as to why I couldn't help.

One barrier to loving others is my passive selfishness.

I also think that my passive selfishness is grown from another desire: I'm pretty lazy. I don't want to be doing work after I get home from work. I don't want to go to someone's house and tutor their children after I get done with work. I don't want to drive to Joel and Jackie's and help refinish the bathroom on a Tuesday evening. I don't even want to do the things that have to get done around my house. After work, I'm tired and I'd like to chill out with my son. If I get too involved with others, their might be difficult things for me to deal with in the evenings on a regular basis.

A second barrier to loving others is my laziness.

So these are the things that I need to step out of. They are not terrible, they don't keep me from being nice, but they keep me from being most effective in my faith. Help change these attitudes and outlooks in my heart Lord Jesus. Then I can be most dedicated to You.