The Marysville LDS Church examiner will be presenting daily devotions that will hopefully inspire and enrich your spiritual life. Therefore, today’s devotion is taken from Stand a Little Taller by Gordon B. Hinckley.
Behold, I say unto you,
Wickedness never was happiness
- Alma 41:10
Selfishness so often is the basis of money problems, which are a very serious and real factor affecting the stability of family life. Selfishness is at the root of adultery, the breaking of solemn and sacred covenants to satisfy lust. Selfishness is the antithesis of love. It is a cankering expression of greed. It destroys self-discipline. It obliterates loyalty. It tears up sacred covenants. It afflicts both men and women. Selfishness is the great destroyer of happy family life.
When we seek to satisfy our own desires, we become selfish. It becomes all about me and not about those who are close to us. The challenge is for families to work together and assist one another to ensure that selfishness has no root to gain. For, once selfishness takes root into the family, discord and contention become the blossoming fruit. Instead, we should always strive to serve one another because we love one another and seek the best for our family.
How do you overcome selfishness in your life, family and marriage? In an article titled Is Selfishness Poisoning Your Marriage, Jonathan Swinton provides the following six perspectives to think about:
- Do I confuse my desires with my needs?
- Do I care more about “what’s in it for me?” than “what’s in it for my spouse?”
- Do I unfavorably compare my spouse to other people?
- Do I believe that my relationship should be as exciting and easy as it seemed when we first got together?
- Do I believe that unrealistic relationship fantasies can be reality?
- Do I believe it is my spouse’s responsibility to make my relationship better?
Yes, Swinton is providing insight into marital relationships and how to recognize and overcome selfishness in one’s marriage; however, these six questions are just as important to ask within the family relationship as well. Change spouse to children, parents, and even co-workers, relatives, or any individuals we have developed relationships with.
In addition, selfishness leads one down forbidden paths where the nectar of the fruit may be sweet for that moment, however, the bitterness will settle in and we become fodder to our selfish desires and lusts. We inevitably drag our family through the filth of our own selfish acts and desires.
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