Building Christian character

Teachers

Clint Davison Preacher

RS

Reed Swindle

Adam Clark Teacher

Lesson Summary

This Bible study class explored the eighth principle of the 13 C's of Successful Christian Living: caring and selflessness. The teacher began by establishing the biblical foundation in Matthew 22:36-40, where Jesus teaches that all the law and prophets hang on two commandments: loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. The class examined what it means to love oneself properly and how that prerequisite is often misunderstood in contemporary culture, where self-love frequently devolves into selfishness and self-centeredness. Through discussion, the group defined selfishness as regarding one's own interests with disregard for others, while its opposite—selflessness—represents genuine caring. The teacher highlighted several biblical examples of selflessness: Joseph's stewardship in Egypt, where he stored grain not for himself but to bless other nations; the Macedonian church, which gave generously despite poverty; and the Galatian believers, whose love for Paul was so great they would have given him their very eyes. In contrast, Jesus lamented over Jerusalem as a hen whose chicks she would not gather. Ultimately, the class pointed to Romans 5:6-8 as the supreme example of selfless love: Christ's willingness to die for sinners, demonstrating God's care for us even when we were unworthy.

Key Scriptures