We are taught at an early age to work hard to get what you want out of life. It is a good idea that can be very harmful when taken to extremes. If I use this motivation to step on people on my way up the corporate ladder, then I am serving my interests at the expense of others and probably the company. If I cheat on my taxes to get what I want, I do damage to myself, my family and my country. So working hard to get what I want can be both personally rewarding in the short term and cause long-term and widespread damage.
God has a better way. Romans 14:19 says, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” Instead of seeking to achieve purely self-serving goals, God calls us to pursue that which benefits others while also helping us grow. Selfishness and self-centeredness cause divisions and arguments.
Philippians 2:4 puts the better pursuit this way: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”It would be a better and more peaceful world if we could pursue benefitting others while seeking our own growth.
Reluctant Retiree 