“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
I think we often underestimate the selflessness required of Christians. The apostle Paul says, in no uncertain terms, that if you’re a follower of Christ, you should think of every person you meet as more important than yourself. Imagine that for a second. You meet someone on the street. They’re dirty, smelly, and honestly kind of scary. As a follower of Christ, you should see than person as more important, more valuable than yourself. It’s more important for them to eat than for you to eat. It’s more important for them to have money than for you to have money. It’s more important for them to be served than for you to be served. How absolutely countercultural is that?
Needless to say, we fail at this pretty often. In a world that says it’s all about you and do whatever makes you happy, it’s easy to fall into the deadly trap of selfishness. Don’t be fooled by the world around you, Christ was a servant to all, even to the point of death on a cross. So why shouldn’t we be? Christ held nothing back from anyone. Why should we?
Before Jesus died, he washed his disciples’ feet, telling them that as he has washed their feet, so they should wash each other’s. He tells them that no student is greater than his teacher, and if he served, so should we. If he washed feet, so should we. If he gave his entire life to the service of everyone around him, so should we.
Paul says that’s the attitude Christ had. Christ himself, knowing he was God in the flesh, still considered those around him to be more important than him. So much so, that he allowed himself to be sacrificed for their sake, that we may all have eternal life through him.
It’s by Christ’s servant heart that we are saved, and it’s because of Christ’s servant’s heart that we are called followed in his footsteps.
Prayer:
Father,
Help me to see others as you see them. Help me to see them for everything they are worth. Help me to see myself not as more important that anyone, but to see others as the priority. Make me a servant like Jesus.
In His Name,
Amen.
Add Comment