Saturday, February 1, 2020

The Old Man's Child: Selfishness

BLJ: The carnal heart is a selfish heart. I have seen this trait in everyone from the nursery worker, to the teacher, to the pastor, to the district superintendent. Selfishness is looking out for yourself and putting others behind you. This trait is always looking for the best of everything for yourself. Carnality is ugly. Thank God you can have it removed.

THE OLD MAN'S CHILDREN -- MR. SELFISHNESS

Mr. Selfishness, one of the most popular of father Old Man's many sons, thrives well in any climate. It is never too hot nor too cold, never too wet nor too dry for him to develop with amazing strides.
There is a strong family resemblance in all the children of Mr. Old Man. Son Selfishness has his own traits. His eyes are so focused that he can easily see the best of everything, his heart is so constituted that he enjoys getting the best for himself. He is old-hearted in his treatment of others, if he can only advance himself. He takes advantage of the weak, oppresses the poor, domineers the meek, is cruel towards the lame and blind and sick. All his ambitions, plans, and intrigues center around himself. He serves himself ever and always. If he ever gets liberal and gives away a pig it is to get back a hog for himself. If he ever turns a grindstone for a neighbor it is because he has an axe to grind for himself.
Mr. Selfishness can see the best chair in the room, the biggest piece of pie on the plate, the best paying church in the conference, the highest office in the district, the easiest task to do, the best part of the road when driving his car, the best room in the house, the best seat in the street car, the cream on the milk, etc. His eye is keener than the eye of an eagle when looking out for number one.
Like his brothers and sisters, he is a great church worker. He likes to control both pew and pulpit, he loves office, and uses the office to feather his own nest. You may find him in any office from the lowest to the highest. Joining forces with his father and grandfather, his brothers and sisters, he likes to run the church. Great is his popularity! His power is felt by all who love God and desire the church to be spiritual.

Like the rest of the family, he has a cordial hatred for the Bible, and is bitter against those who preach the Word. He has no use for the "Sword of the Spirit."

One Scripture that always causes him to have serious spells with his heart is "Love seeketh not her own." After the Holy Spirit wields this blade, he is utterly prostrated with heart trouble. And were it not for his father and grandfather, together with those who dope him with the opiates of hell, he would be willing to crawl off and die. Another blade that causes him sinking spells with his heart is, ''Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." After this truth is sent home to his heart, his friends must again dope him lest lie die. Equally fatal to his heart are such blades of the Sword of the Spirit as: "In honor preferring one another." "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love." "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth." "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." "Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted." "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." "In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

Some traits that manifested selfishness. These statements are taken from living witnesses: 

SEEING THE
Biggest apple
Best chair
Best part of the road
Cream on the milk
Easiest and cleanest job
Place of boss
Place of mother's pet
Driver's seat
Best-paying church
Largest piece of pie
Prettiest dress
Place of comfort
Most of the candy
Best horse
Best auto
Head of things
Comfort of self
Best seat in the street car
Place of honor
Honor of the world
Praise of man
Best room
Best place at the table
Place of ease while mother worked
Best potatoes in barrel
Best of the trade
BEST OF EVERYTHING
FISHING FOR SELF ALL THE TIME AND EVERYWHERE

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