As a child in church, I remember my father putting this scripture on the podium, “Let a man examine himself.” (1 Cor 11:28). I can still see it as clearly as I did every Sunday morning. And there is nothing quite as painful or humbling than searching and examining your heart only to realize you have been an extreme selfish being all your life. In fact, I can trace 99% of all the trouble in my life to my being selfish.

Kind David had the same problem, and oh the misery it brought him. While his men were out fighting, David was at his leisure. As he languidly looked over his city, he saw Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite. What he saw took his breath away, for she was very beautiful. David didn’t stop to turn away; he didn’t stop to think that this was another man’s wife; he didn’t think at all. He just had to have her no matter what. After all, he was the kind – he could do whatever he pleased.

And then what happened? She’s pregnant. Instead of being honest with Uriah, he tried to hide his sin. He brought Uriah home from the war thinking he would go home to Bathsheba and no one would ever know what she and David had done.

But Uriah didn’t go home. As any faithful and loyal soldier, he stayed with his men.

David panicked. He arranged to have Uriah moved to the front lines so he would be killed. And so, Uriah was. That left David free to take Bathsheba as his own and no one would be the wiser.

But God knew.

David paid a high price for his own selfishness as we all do. So many times, we think only of ourselves, of what we want. I can say in all honesty I have been selfish, wanting what I want and when I want it. Looking back, I see so many times that I should have been more selfless and not so selfish in every way - with my time … my money … my thoughts … my heart.

It’s time for us all to be less selfish and more selfless before it’s too late.