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Symptoms Of The Self-Life
1. A disposition to look at everything with an eye to how it will affect ourselves. It is an instinctive,
wide-awake, looking out for Number One.
2. The self-life is always unwittingly magnifying itself.
3. Another symptom of self, as especially mentioned by
John Wesley, is that of touchiness. Touchiness is like wearing all the nerves of the body on the skin, and always seems to be on the alert to take slights and offenses at least occasion. If it is not invited to every place and thing where it imagines it ought to be; if it is not bowed to and spoken to on every occasion; if it is not honored where it fancies it ought to be, it takes on spells, and goes into vexatious thoughts and words.
It is amazing how many there are who profess to be dead to self, yet manifest a terrific sensitiveness at being slighted. If they are not invited to preach, or lead the prayer, or sing, or do something in church work or religious gatherings; if their talents are not recognized, it is oftentimes quite difficult for them to conceal their ugly thoughts and feelings, and they will insist their wretched touchiness is a part of holiness. Another terrible feature of touchiness is that it can never bear to be rebuked or corrected. The strongest mark of genuine humility is to be able to be reproved and corrected, even severely, with a meek and thankful spirit; but where self is alive, at the very slightest reproof, there is self-defense. How can one be like Jesus when they are full of touchiness, getting their feelings hurt at everything, taking offense at imaginary things, and on the alert for taking care of self: Nothing can possibly cure such a miserable spirit but the fullness of the humble and gentle love of God.
4. Another sign of self is that of imposing on others monopolizing their time, their interests, and their sympathies. Self will push its claims and petty notions and whims on other people. It takes an hour to say what could be said in one sentence; it intrudes on sick people and tired people; it begs and tease.- and taxes the patience of its friends; it scolds other people for its losses and failures; it is always asking for advice and then persistently going its own way; it is fidgety and fussy and meddlesome, prying into other people's affairs, and insisting that its interests are ahead of everybody else's. If such a soul only knew how to deal alone with God, and go away off with the Holy Spirit in prayer, and talk but little to people and a great deal to God, it would soon find miracles transpiring in its life; and, instead of having to tease its way through the wilderness, angels would go ahead of it everywhere to beat down the briars and open the avenues of signal blessing. Oh! if that rattling tongue would talk ten times less and pray in secret ten times more, the life would be a hundred-fold more fruitful.
DR. G. D. WATSON, THE LIGHTHOUSE (Largo, Florida)
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