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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Philippians 2:3-5
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”
Others-centred, not self-centred.
This chapter is just another one where I would have preferred to write out all the verses. There is so much to consider, and it is also so well known. You need to read at least verses 6-11 as well today, as they hold some of the most wonderful words of all Scripture.
As they are so well known I decided to look at what comes first.
Paul returns to one of the themes of Jesus. Unity. The interesting thing is that through humility – unity thrives naturally and powerfully. Pride, on the other hand, is the antithesis. It is the killer. Paul here goes for the jugular. What are our motives? What are the underlying values for what I do? What are the real reasons behind what we do?
Do we love others in the hope and expectation that they will love us in return? Do we help them so that we can have some hold or control over them? Do we praise others but at the same time envy them and hope that what they are doing will eventually fail or be less successful than our own ministry or work? Do we suffer from the worldly ‘tall-poppy’ syndrome? Whereby, if we know of anyone successful, we immediately find fault with what they do and prophesy decline or destruction? So they come back down to my level.
These are real issues and I must admit I struggle with them all the time. I want our church to grow. I want to take my city for Jesus. All good ambitions – but why do I want to do it? For personal achievement, satisfaction or kudos?
You see, if those are my motives – I will surely fail – I cannot succeed – because God will not give His glory to another. If, on the other hand, God can search my heart and find it is purely for the extension of His Kingdom and the exaltation of His Son, that is a different issue, isn’t it?
You see, so much comes back to our attitudes, doesn’t it? May I suggest – that God alone knows our true selves and attitudes. Thus it is far better to leave all the outcomes to Him. In the meantime, we should avoid comparing ourselves with others, our church with others, our ministry with others. Rather let us, as Paul exhorts – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” That’s hard, isn’t it?
“Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Oh dear. ‘But I have so many needs. I know where I want to go and I want others to follow (me). I need them to do what I want, not what they think their calling is. I want them to support me and my ministry – it is, after all, the most important.’
No – you serve them. You care for them and pray for them. You take an interest in what interests them. It matters in the family as well – each of our children need to know that we are interested in what is important to them. (And that it is more important than the newspaper, our job or what’s on T.V.)
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” But He could do it because He is God. I’m not and that makes it too hard.
Has God given you His Holy Spirit? Yes. Then you have the same ability as Jesus – it is just a matter of choice; your decision. So go and do it – no excuses. We can change.
If we did, it would revolutionise our lives, our families, our churches, our cities, our nations and our world.
Worth thinking about, isn’t it?
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