The second element in the "Success" acronym is Unselfishness or what I will call "Selfless" living.The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, defines my portrayal of selfless living as he detailed the characteristics of Love in Corinthians chapter 13. The family of believers there would come to know how to recognize and demonstrate this true form of love. He said in the 5th verse, "It is not rude, it is not self‑seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." The "it" Paul was referring to was not what the majority of our society refers to as love; it was an extraordinary compilation of traits found only in the perfect Love of God.
Selflessness was made the model of Love by Yeshua (Jesus' Hebrew name). This chapter in the Bible is often cited by Clergyman at weddings, Preachers in their sermons and even at times, counselors with their patients, and with good reason! Without love, relationships are meaningless and life becomes a never ending battle for more for the self to which we attach our minds.
Like the bridge in the photo above (White Oak Canyon - Sedona, AZ) an unselfish attitude or character provides a means of reaching the other side of a great chasm. Without this bridge, White Oak Canyon would be extremely difficult to cross, if possible at all. The canyon represents the obstacles of life, of relationships and hardships of all kinds. Without unselfishness, which I call the bridge of love, we would not be where or what we are today.
Following the example Jesus set for humanity selfless living is the art of giving of ones self, consciously, without malice or forethought. It's a matter of developing the habit of giving first, for the benefit of the person and for no other reason than to edify or please them, or to help them grow.
An unselfish spirit is an incredibly difficult trait to master but will go a long way toward mending or healing broken relationships, and a most affective way to convey love.
Humbly, I admit that I have not yet reached mastery of this almost lost art of giving. (My wife Debbie might even say, "you've got a long, long way to go.") Though I profess to work on techniques that will bring me closer to understanding and better execution I recognize that I do still fall woefully short. Please excuse the commentary but, honestly coming to terms with reality helps diffuse any inkling of pretense or arrogance.
Selflessness produces success because it places us in right relationship with those around us. Zig Ziglar would say, "You can anything you want if you will help enough people get what they want." You see, others come before we do in the business world too! If we will learn this application, if we will change the perspective we have of the order of our desires so that they follow the will of God to serve others first, then we will receive the blessings associated with the law of the harvest which says we reap what we sow. And so, it is with the bridge of love - the art of selfless living!
Shalom my friends until the next session when we discover what it means to be "Chosen," the first of the two "C's" in "SUCCESS."
Peace Be with you!
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