Personal... investment (?) agenda (?)

In absolutely everything you do and say there is personal investment. It may or may not be personal interest, agenda but it is investment. However, I don't believe that personal investment and personal agenda necessarily define one another. They can and sometimes do... but not necessarily. 

Investment, in my world of definitions, means an expenditure of one's self in (fill in the blank). It could be time, energy, resources, etc. but it is always - personal. Agenda/interest however is our attempt to 'get our way'. Perhaps clumsily phrased but spot on. When it is in our interest or agenda (hidden or overt), it is, simply something (for whatever reason) we want. And our method(s) to attain this are not always altruistic or in 'the best interests' of all.

When we take the opportunity to invest in (fill in the blank) then our attention is focused not on ourselves but on the person, project, object. We invest, yes - sometimes to benefit ourselves eventually, but the reason we do this is not always self-serving. Investment, according to Webster, is self-serving, but I define it as focusing on someone/thing else to assist them in attaining their objective. Our benefit, reward is never the focus - though Webster would insist on a obvious personal reward.

When we consider personal agenda - this can be overt or covert. Whatever we seem to be doing, it has a double meaning and the important meaning is an enhancement of ourselves. Our focus is to influence the actions, decisions that would favor our 'cause'. Typically there is a negative connotation to personal agenda, though, again - not always the case. When we operate from this position, often we do feel that our method is best so we advance it against any disagreement. Our 'rightness' is not so much the focus as what we want.

Why am I even talking about this? Because it does permeate life. Do you think the Lord would be pleased with subterfuge? Of course not - even when we attempt to gloss over our behavior as the best decision. Present your argument - absolutely. But are you being transparent when you do? Is there something inherently wrong with admitting your own self-interest; why you advocate what you do? No - there really isn't. Only when you attempt to hide it. We are to live and act - wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16).