Have you ever been in a relationship with a selfish person? If not, then be thankful, for it’s often a miserable experience. Just imagine how you’d feel if you gave someone the very best gift you could afford and never received anything in return. Or, think about how you’d feel if someone always had time to pursue their own interests but never scheduled time for you. Better, imagine how you’d feel if someone demanded your undivided attention but had more important things to do when you wanted to share your feelings. Just thinking about these expressions of selfishness can irritate you.
Aren’t you glad God isn’t selfish? He doesn’t deprive us of His riches; instead, He gives as a sign of His love. In this text, Jeremiah highlights God’s unselfishness. Every day, God gives us something we haven’t earned – new mercies. And most of the time, we don’t thank Him in return. Truly, we serve an unselfish God; He gives in spite of us!
Mercy is like our credit line with God, and most of us have exceeded our limit (see Romans 3:23). Aren’t you glad God hasn’t sent the “repo man” to collect the gifts He provides? What an awesome, unselfish God we serve!
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way … (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, New Living Translation)