One selfish act typically leads to others. In family relationships this can be devastating. If a husband is having selfish thoughts or doing selfish things, this will frequently result in a wife feeling like she needs to be selfish. Before long, they are arguing about neglected needs and unrealistic expectations.

Among siblings the same issues arise. Selfishness in the home rarely makes anyone happy. Even the selfish are sad because everyone around them is miserable. Once the spiral of selfish thinking begins, it will not end until someone determines to step out of it, stop thinking about themselves, start thinking about others and then do something selfless. Selfless service is the secret to a happy marriage and a happy home. When family members are outdoing one another in selfless service, everyone is happy. For where there are servants, there are always those being served. All it takes is for one person to be selfish to start the selfish spiral all over again. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4).