Esteem Others Better than Self?
Esteem Others Better than Self?
The world encourages us to first take care of self. The instruction in the plane before take-off clearly speaks to this. “If you are travelling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person”. Very contrary to Jesus who came to serve and not to be served. Esteem others better than self? You must be kidding.
The Philippian Church had conflict without and within. The root of all conflict is selfishness (James 4:1-3). We have conflicts within in our homes (marriage, children, in-laws and outlaws) and even in the Church itself among individuals and camps of people. Paul is now addressing the root and asking the Philippians and us to deal with it. Why? Again for the sake of the Gospel and for the sake of Christ there must be unity. Jesus said they will know us (as His) by our love for one another.
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”. Philippians 2:1-4.
1. Paul makes the case for unity. It is a passionate plea. Basically, if you have Christ in you and He has made you a new person by evidence of his consolation, comfort of love, Christ’s fellowship with you thru His Spirit, any affection and all the mercies he has had on you and me, then be one mind with each other. Have the mind of Christ – Humility and Others first.
2. Christ seeks oneness with us first and then oneness with each other. There is no room for disunity in Christ because the trinity is ever united. Our identity is in our oneness with Christ. Whatever Christ is, that is what we are because He lives in us. We are in relationship with Christ.
3. As a good founding pastor of the Philippian Church, Paul is saying make me proud so that all my labor is not in vain. By chapter 4, Paul gives names of two women fighting each other. It is not a secret if you are in conflict with someone now. People may know and of course God knows. Who is it you can’t stand especially during these upcoming holidays. Someone of us have people in our families we avoid like plague because of old unsettled scores. It should not be so.
4. The Holy Spirit thru Paul says deal with it. First, don’t think too highly of yourself as if competing with people. We are all guilty of this because we have been trained by the world to compete to win the first place. We are told to have self-esteem as if it is biblical. The bible teaches “others esteem” not self -esteem. We should only see ourselves as in Christ; nothing more or less. There is no room for superiority complex in the child of God if you have been saved by grace.
5. We are also to do all things without selfish ambition. We need to have ambition but not “selfish ambition”. Ambition is the will to do for others first. We are to serve with pure motive and not for our benefit or for “vainglory or conceit” – so others will see us and praise us.
6. We are to serve others in “lowliness of mind”. It is a mindset of humility. Humility is giving others first preference just as Christ gave us. He did not think of Himself when He went to the Cross on our behalf. Christ is our ultimate example and thank God He lives in us. If we allow Him, Christ will show His humility thru us. He gave up his rights but often you and I demand our rights. “Lose your life you gain it”, Christ tells us. We are to be “God-fish” instead of “Selfish”.
7. We are to look out for interest of others first vs. 4. This is not same as self-neglect. If each of us looks out for God’s interest in others, your interest, my interest and everyone’s interest will be taken care of. Can we start practicing “others interests” especially in marriage and our families? It is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank God the Holy Spirit lives in us so it is not impossible. As we relate in prayer and the Word with Christ, He will show us his interest in others. Let’s ask God today to show us his interest in others. Do what He tells you.
Lord, you always make sacrificial demands. There is a cost to serving you. Forgive me for my selfishness. Help me to esteem others better than myself. Help me “not to think of myself more highly than I ought to think, but to think soberly, as you God has granted me a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Thank you for dying in my place and showing me the example. I will trust you to empower me. Amen.
Happy Veterans Day! We thank God for all who have served sacrificially and even lost their lives.
The world encourages us to first take care of self. The instruction in the plane before take-off clearly speaks to this. “If you are travelling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask on first, and then assist the other person”. Very contrary to Jesus who came to serve and not to be served. Esteem others better than self? You must be kidding.
The Philippian Church had conflict without and within. The root of all conflict is selfishness (James 4:1-3). We have conflicts within in our homes (marriage, children, in-laws and outlaws) and even in the Church itself among individuals and camps of people. Paul is now addressing the root and asking the Philippians and us to deal with it. Why? Again for the sake of the Gospel and for the sake of Christ there must be unity. Jesus said they will know us (as His) by our love for one another.
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”. Philippians 2:1-4.
1. Paul makes the case for unity. It is a passionate plea. Basically, if you have Christ in you and He has made you a new person by evidence of his consolation, comfort of love, Christ’s fellowship with you thru His Spirit, any affection and all the mercies he has had on you and me, then be one mind with each other. Have the mind of Christ – Humility and Others first.
2. Christ seeks oneness with us first and then oneness with each other. There is no room for disunity in Christ because the trinity is ever united. Our identity is in our oneness with Christ. Whatever Christ is, that is what we are because He lives in us. We are in relationship with Christ.
3. As a good founding pastor of the Philippian Church, Paul is saying make me proud so that all my labor is not in vain. By chapter 4, Paul gives names of two women fighting each other. It is not a secret if you are in conflict with someone now. People may know and of course God knows. Who is it you can’t stand especially during these upcoming holidays. Someone of us have people in our families we avoid like plague because of old unsettled scores. It should not be so.
4. The Holy Spirit thru Paul says deal with it. First, don’t think too highly of yourself as if competing with people. We are all guilty of this because we have been trained by the world to compete to win the first place. We are told to have self-esteem as if it is biblical. The bible teaches “others esteem” not self -esteem. We should only see ourselves as in Christ; nothing more or less. There is no room for superiority complex in the child of God if you have been saved by grace.
5. We are also to do all things without selfish ambition. We need to have ambition but not “selfish ambition”. Ambition is the will to do for others first. We are to serve with pure motive and not for our benefit or for “vainglory or conceit” – so others will see us and praise us.
6. We are to serve others in “lowliness of mind”. It is a mindset of humility. Humility is giving others first preference just as Christ gave us. He did not think of Himself when He went to the Cross on our behalf. Christ is our ultimate example and thank God He lives in us. If we allow Him, Christ will show His humility thru us. He gave up his rights but often you and I demand our rights. “Lose your life you gain it”, Christ tells us. We are to be “God-fish” instead of “Selfish”.
7. We are to look out for interest of others first vs. 4. This is not same as self-neglect. If each of us looks out for God’s interest in others, your interest, my interest and everyone’s interest will be taken care of. Can we start practicing “others interests” especially in marriage and our families? It is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank God the Holy Spirit lives in us so it is not impossible. As we relate in prayer and the Word with Christ, He will show us his interest in others. Let’s ask God today to show us his interest in others. Do what He tells you.
Lord, you always make sacrificial demands. There is a cost to serving you. Forgive me for my selfishness. Help me to esteem others better than myself. Help me “not to think of myself more highly than I ought to think, but to think soberly, as you God has granted me a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Thank you for dying in my place and showing me the example. I will trust you to empower me. Amen.
Happy Veterans Day! We thank God for all who have served sacrificially and even lost their lives.
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