More faith makes us less selfish

I posted this in the Poetry thread, but thought I’d also make a new thread out of it so more people might read it.

I’d like to share something I thought of, though it isn’t poetry.

I once posted a small essay about how having faith is related to being a positive person. Here’s the link to it: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/faith-and-positiveness

I’d like to add to that, and say that raising our level of faith also helps make us less selfish, and more perceptive of other people. How does it do that?

Well, by having faith, we are essentially focusing on a “bigger picture” than what we actually see in reality. We are letting ourselves acknowledge that there is “more to the story”, and that goodness will prevail, even though things may seem bad. So we are making ourselves more accustomed to understanding that what we see now, in front of us, is not necessarily an accurate representation of what is actually meant to be, through G-d’s plan.

Now, let’s take a look at what being selfish means. Being selfish means looking only at ourselves, our needs, and not seeing outside of that. Refusing to think that others may come before us, or deserve something more than us. Essentially, the mindset of a selfish person is the opposite of the mindset of a person who has faith. Because having faith allows us to look beyond our current situation, and see the bigger picture. Likewise, someone who is UNselfish looks beyond themselves, and sees the needs of other people, and has a more accurate understanding of the bigger picture. So, the two work together, and use the same basic principle of seeing beyond that which is directly pertaining to us in our current situation.

So, with this understanding, I think it is safe to assume that if someone wants to achieve a higher level of faith, he can start by working on becoming more attuned to other people’s needs, and less selfish. Because that will get him used to the mindset of seeing beyond himself, and his current situation. And vice versa, someone who wants to become less selfish can do so by working on his faith.

I actually find it incredible, yet so perfectly understandable, that G-d created us in such a way that by working on one area to better ourselves, we automatically attain the tools to become better in other areas as well. It is remarkable, and a true blessing, that G-d made us that way. May we grow in all these areas.