I like to think of myself as an unselfish guy… unless it comes to cookies. I don’t at all mind sharing them. I just want my fair share, and then a few extra if no one’s looking.

I especially like chocolate chip cookies. Why do I have a hard time passing them by? I need to lose twenty five pounds. Why can’t I easily resist the temptation?

This may not seem like a selfishness issue. To me, it is. My wonderful wife wants me around as long as possible. My doctor told me some forty plus years ago to get down to 185 pounds. That hasn’t happened yet. My kids want me around too.

I know I’d seriously miss my guy friends with whom I regularly breakfast or lunch if they were to pass away. I think they would miss me too. It’ll surely happen someday. Will eating chocolate chip cookies quicken the advance of that day?  

Here’s how I look at it. Selfishness is doing something to benefit me regardless of the known needs of others. Unselfishness will benefit others, and maybe me too, but often I can’t see the personal benefit. Why can’t I see that helping others will benefit me, will give me the same or more joy or satisfaction as having a cookie? What am I missing?

My mind goes to Christ. He’s got to be the perfect example of unselfishness. After all, “Greater love has no man than this, than that he lay down his life for his friend.” (John 15.13) Did Christ eat cookies on his thirty three year trip to Golgotha? 

Those of us who believe in and obey Christ have eternal life locked up. What an inestimable treasure!! Christ kept His eye on the prize. So did Paul. So did Stephen who saw heaven opened as He was stoned to death for Christ. 

Will keeping my eyes on the prize rather than the chocolate chip cookie give me more time to tell others about eternal life? Can I weigh the importance of spending time eating a cookie – or several cookies – against the importance of spending time encouraging another soul to see Christ eternally face to face?

What other area of selfishness in my life may be keeping others from hearing the gospel that insures them eternal life?