I fear, with this title, that I am guilty of an oxymoron like act naturally, unbiased opinion, awfully good and jumbo shrimp. In fact, according to my trusty 1961 Funk & Wagnalls Dictionary, the very definition of selfless is “Regardless of self; unselfish.”
Even so, I submit that not only is selfish selflessness a reality, it is a prevalent reality. People often make seemingly selfless choices for very selfish reasons. It is the philanthropist who gives millions to a hospital so that an entire wing dons her name, or the donor who gives enough to get his name on a brick, a plaque, or an honorary list. Seemingly selfless acts are often driven by selfish motivations.
Of course, there are many examples of genuinely selfless acts, like the father who rushes into a burning house, regardless of his own life, to save a child from the flames, or the first responder who puts herself in harm’s way to preserve the life of a stranger, or the many in the military who willingly place themselves in the line of fire for the sake of our freedom. And yet, quite often, seemingly selfless acts are selfishly motivated. Sometimes we are motivated by recognition, sometimes reward, and sometimes the simple desire to feel better about ourselves.
But in Jesus, we find a model of selflessness that is absolutely authentic. We see this, first of all, in the very fact that He, the God of all creation, “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Phil 2:7). What kind of God gives up heaven’s throne for flesh and bone? Our God! And His devotion to serving others through teaching and healing while He walked this earth is surely testament to His giving nature. But the apex of His selflessness is inarguably found in the fact that “he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8).
In truth, Jesus’ selflessness arises from divine independence. Theologian Wayne Grudem defines divine independence saying, “God does not need us or the rest of creation for anything.” This attribute is also known as the self-existence of God or his aseity. What it comes down to is the fact that God does not depend upon anyone or anything outside of Himself. Jesus is never tempted to selflessness in order to get a pat on the back from you and me.
It is worth stating that we, as human beings, do not share this divine attribute of independence. We are, in fact, dependent beings. We depend upon God and others for our existence. For this reason, independence is considered an “incommunicable” attribute. And yet, there are communicable attributes, attributes that we can share in, such as love, mercy, and goodness, which make selflessness possible. In fact, it is not merely possible, Jesus calls us to it:
You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:42–45).
What Jesus describes in these verses is Kingdom reality. And, ultimately, it is this reality that moves us to genuine selflessness. For as we embrace the Kingdom as our hope, we realize that no earthly reward begins to compare with eternal rewards from our Lord. What is recognition from men compared to recognition from God? As a result, the true source of authentic selflessness is authentic faith. As we read in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
When I was young in faith, I recall contemplating the selfless acts of believers and wondering at their ability to set aside their own desires in order to serve someone else. But the more I grow in Christ, the more I see that such selflessness is the natural by-product of genuine faith in God and trust that His reward is far greater than any reward the pursuit of selfish desires could produce.
And so, may we grow in practicing authentic selflessness, unselfish selflessness, by which we may bring glory to God, further His Kingdom and amass for ourselves “treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys” (Luke 12:33).
Pastor Dan