Why is it that we are to seek the Kingdom of God above our own self-interests? Why is God so opposed to our own selfishness?
Selfish people often justify it saying “Let me be. I’m not hurting anyone!” But why is that argument found insufficient by God? Does He deny us our selfishness because He wants all attention on Him. Is He Himself selfish?
One reason I think, though there are many, is that God desires our best happiness. He desires our best happiness because of course He is not selfish. And He knows that our greatest happiness comes in blessing others.
Selfish people do not know this. They think happiness is found in things, or in prestige, or wealth, or fame. It does not matter if they have any of these things, only that they think happiness can be found in them. Even having the things or the fame or whatever is not wherein they think dwells happiness, but in having the things, the fame, the whatever when others around them do not.
C.S. Lewis writes elegantly on this,
Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, or better-looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
So, when Christ commands us, “Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness,” (Matt. 6:33) He does so knowing our greatest happiness is to be found in Him.
He is s very good, good God indeed.
Press on…
thebrokenrunner 
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