Self-Centeredness

The home group is covering Discipleship Evangelism Lesson 2-01 on Self-Centeredness: The Source of All Grief.

1. Self-Centeredness is the source of ALL Grief ?
   

   • 'ALL' should be removed or be changed to a major source of our grief
     • We grief for sufferings of others like Earthquake victims, injustice done etc.
     • Jeremiah grieved because of the sins of his people
     • Nehemiah grieved for his people, the fallen Jerusalem wall and God.
   • Grief is deep mental anguish according to American Heritage Dictionary.
     
     
2. Definition of Self-Centeredness

   • Thinking of Oneself as the Center of the Universe without God.

   • Engrossed in oneself and one's own affairs; selfish.

   • Synonyms: egocentrism, self-concern, self-interest, egoism

3. This teaching does not means to condemn self but the centeredness of self.

4. Self is of much worth - the worth the Life of Jesus Christ.

   • Christ came just to redeem us.

   • Everyone is uniquely created by God for a specific purpose.

   • Everyone is to find out about our unique calling by God and to fulfill it.

   • Self-esteem (as defined by God), self-worth and self-value are all important.

5. We, ourselves, should be responsible and be held accountable for our actions.
   

6. We are encouraged to be God-centric in our thinking.

7. A key part of the self-centeredness is our Will against God's will for us. It is the carnal or freshly mind that put Self at the center. Creation cannot knows the answer for his creation. Only his Creator, God can tell him the purpose of his creation.

8. The cure for self-centeredness is not to get rid of self or to condemn self - that would be Buddhism or Hinduism worldview. It is to have God's view of our self. The order should be God -> Self -> Others. We are to be God's idea of us - Unique - Creative- Able Children of God and to Love others with God's love in us. It is to put God at the center and relate Self to God first and then to Others. Either extreme of putting Self in the center and the remove Self(-worth) is wrong. We are OK and just need to be guided by God.

9. Jesus told us the he would loose his life for His sake shall have it. By having God centeredness we find our true self and standing.