The Birth of Selfishness

Continued from yesterday…

Unaware of God, each person became the center of their own world, and just like that, selfishness was born. Whatever was good was now determined in the absence of awareness of love. Good became defined by the egoic conscience seared in guilt that sought to preserve its sense of self, and longed for recognition, approval, and significance by how it stood out from others.

So here is how it played out. The instant they gained knowledge of good and evil, they were able to discern what was good for self, but they were unable to comprehend how this knowledge applied to “others.” Their understanding of good was limited to their own personal interest.

We can observe this same fallacy of knowledge of good and evil even today. Why does a person lie, steal, or commit adultery? Because at the moment, he sees it as beneficial to himself. Lying or stealing at the time seems good for him. He fails to see the bigger picture based on the unifying presence of love, and doesn’t consider the effects his actions will have on the other person involved. It’s good for him, even though it is evil to another.

Of course, most people may not be unfaithful, or engage in illegal activities. Yet it doesn’t take long to detect selfishness in the heart of humanity. There are even times when our cares and concerns for others are rooted in the ego’s quest for love and acceptance by way of what we do for others.

To be continued tomorrow…

Adapted from Section 2 of Awakening To I Am Love by David Youngren