WEEK 36 – DAY 2

NOT LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:3-4

So much for the advice to “look out for number one.” The world’s way is “dog eat dog” and “every man for himself.”  But that is never the way of our Lord. Our main purpose is to live for Him. Our goals should be tied to serving God and, therefore, serving His people. Ambition is not bad. It’s just important to examine the driving force behind your plans. The Lord tells us to serve our earthly bosses wholeheartedly, so earning a higher-level degree in the field to which God has called you (teaching, engineering, science) can be an unselfish ambition. Not only are we to refrain from being “me first” in our thinking, but we are to actually think more highly of others than we do ourselves. “What about a healthy self-esteem?” you may ask. We need to have a healthy Christ-esteem. In other words, in our own flesh and our own power, we’re basically lower than worms. However, when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, we have the ability to allow Christ to shine through us. It is not us that are worthy, but Christ who lives within us (Galatians 2:20). This also enables us to see others as Christ sees them. They are either lost and in need of a Savior, which means we need to be a positive witness to them; or they are saved and in need of a sister (or brother) to encourage them along the way. Either way, we must consider their needs as much or more than we consider our own. As we realize that everything we have is from God, we can live unselfishly sharing our time, energy, and means with others.

Father, help me to live the once popular acronym J-O-Y: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Joy comes from obedience to You, and Your word clearly teaches us to reach out to others in Your name. Strengthen us to serve You by serving others.