https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/24/follow-the-leader
It’s a prevailing theme in Christian life of putting others first ahead of self. It speaks of selflessness rather than selfishness. We think of the interests of others before ours. It is a strange and somewhat unnatural position to take as human nature dictates that we take care of ourselves first before others. The mind and body is programmed to be self protecting to be naturally putting self preservation as first priority. I can think of two instances where we cannot put others first before ourselves. One is when we are in a plane and the oxygen masks come down. We are to take our own first before attending to others as we will not be useful to anyone if we ourselves are dead. Second is if we are on climb up Mount Everest and reach an area above 8,000m (its height is 8849m) that is known as the Death Zone or Everest’s Graveyard. The oxygen level is so low and it is so difficult to get up there that anyone who is there can only save themselves. If you are in trouble there, you are on your own. That is why people who died there remain there as no one could go so far up there to have the strength to retrieve the dead bodies. It is a zone where you can only use your strength for yourself as that itself is barely enough.
Thus, the conclusion is that it remains a debate that in putting others first should we endanger ourselves in the process? Should we put our lives at risk? Very relevant in our present Covid times. Only Jesus had put everything aside and sacrificed His life for us, for all mankind. There have been other humans who have done so in the past and present but that is not something that is demanded of us as we are in most cases more useful alive than dead unless of course it is a question of denying Christ.
However, so long as it doesn’t involve our life, the standard is to put others first and that includes their conscience as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 10:29. We seek the good of others and in everything we do, we make sure others do not stumble and may keep their conscience clear. We must not act in such a way that will make others feeling doubtful or feeling guilty and so if any act of ourselves may cause someone’s conscience to be affected, then we refrain from doing that thing. So we may do anything, but not everything is beneficial to everyone, nor everything is constructive, not everything is edifying. That is why even though there are actually few restrictions in Christian life, we follow the standards of the community that we live in. We should blend in harmoniously rather stand out like a sore thumb. Always seek the good of others and not ourselves so that they may be saved as Paul advised in 1 Corinthians 10:33. Follow the example of Paul as he follows the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Ronnie's Thoughts 