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The secret of unselfishness

Mark is an English teacher from America who has taught in China for a number of years. He told me how he has learned the skill of throwing out bait to his students; doing or saying little things to make them curious. One time Mark was at an English Corner – that’s an informal evening event on campus where students can come and practise their English with foreigners. So Mark asks a young Chinese student; ‘How would you like to be different in 10 years time?’

‘I’d like to be less selfish’, was the reply. ‘Interesting’ said Mark, ‘because I have actually discovered the secret of unselfishness’. That pricked up his ears. He was interested. ‘Well, tell me more’. ‘Sorry. I can’t. I’ve got to go. If you’re really interested come over to my house some time and we can talk.’

5 days later, Knock, knock, knock, he came to Mark’s door. He sat down. They started talking about sport, computers, life in America. He never brought up the subject. Mark never did. He left. Mark kept praying for him. About 5 days later, he came over again. He sat down on Mark’s sofa. 10 minutes into the conversation, he said, ‘By the way’ – and Mark could tell that the ‘by the way’ was anything but ‘by the way – He’d clearly been squirming for the last 1o days thinking, ‘What is this secret of unselfishness that Mark knows?

So the student said ‘By the way, the other day you said you’d discovered the secret of unselfishness. … Can you tell me?’

There was a person who unbeknown to himself was eager to hear how a relationship with God through Jesus Christ could help him to be unselfish.