What's In It for Me?

God made individuals to be part of communities. It’s in these communities where the individual learns to sacrifice and serve, while being served by the group. Maturity always involves living in terms of the needs, and even many of the desires, of others. In other words, individuals receive benefits from being part of the community while the community receives benefits from her individual members. Moreover, the individual members have duties and obligations to the community that transcend their personal and individual interests. Therefore, when the community or the leadership (e.g., parents, elders, etc.), has determined that a certain activity is good for the group, the question the individual member should ask is not, “What’s in it for me?” but rather, “What’s my duty to the community?” or, “How can I contribute to this activity?” To sit it out (without good reason), is to act in a selfish or immature manner and to hold the community in contempt. Now contempt can be overt and hostile but it can also be careless and passive.