Selfish for God

Psychological egoists believe that everything we humans do is motivated by self-interest.  According to this philosophy, even actions that appear sacrificial are actually performed because the sacrifice brings us more utility than it costs us.  Frankly, I agree.  When I choose to do something, I choose freely, and if I act in a way that appears unselfish, it is because that action brings me more satisfaction than the apparent selfish action would.  Therefore, my “unselfish” act has selfish motivations.  [I recognize that there is a tautology in this argument, but it is one I accept.]

What makes the assessment of all this tricky is that it is hard to truly define satisfaction.  We deal with satisfaction inter-temporally – we forego pleasure today in order to receive additional pleasure in the future.  We deal with satisfaction under uncertainty – many of our actions don’t have definitive outcomes, and sometimes a good decision will lead to a bad outcome.  Proponents of psychological egoism frequently cite the desire for a reward in the afterlife as an explanation for why many apparently unselfish acts are actually motivated by self-interest.  Afterlife rewards combine both uncertainty and inter-temporality.

What, however, is true satisfaction?  Madison Avenue will answer that question one way (and the answer normally involves something offered by their client.)  A devotee of eastern meditation will answer that another way.  Finally, Woody Allen answers it a completely different way. 

I suggest that true satisfaction comes in living into God’s will for our life.  Aligning our choices with the choice God would choose for us makes us selfish for God.  The revelation of God’s will, however, is less than completely straightforward.  You can’t go to Amazon and buy a book entitled “God’s Will for My Life.”  Well, actually, you can.  And, if you do, you will find a number with titles very similar to that.

What stops us from living into God’s will?  Plain and simple, it is sin.  Our sinful nature convinces us that we will be happier if we are in control.  Adam and Eve, after all, really wanted to know what the tree of knowledge would reveal to them.  They couldn’t submit to God’s instruction that they didn’t need to know.  Back to Madison Avenue.  Playing to our human insecurities, they convince us, just as the serpent convinced Adam and Eve, that we will be happier with their product.  In fact, implied is the idea that what they have to offer is better than what God has in mind for us.

Sadly, creeping into our churches is the idea that the church needs to give the congregation what the congregation wants.  Talk about letting the inmates run the asylum.

So, what can we do?  Well, just like so much else in our faith life, the answer can be built on a couple of simple foundations: The Word of God and prayer.  Read and study The Bible daily.  Every situation in which we find ourselves has been covered.  Our interpretation of The Word of God is deepened and enriched by prayerful meditation, and listening for God speaking directly to each one of us.  The more we understand God’s Will for us, the more we can align our desires with God’s: selfish for God.