Self? Others?

Self? Others? 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

Philippians 2:3 NIV

Context:

Paul writes to the church in Philippi, charging them to remember all that Christ has done to bring them to this new standing they had. Before now, these were Gentiles, who were cut off from the commonwealth of Israel, but with the dispensation of the Holy Spirit in full swing, nobody was exempt from the grace of God revealed in Christ. No matter the time that has passed since Christ walked the earth, that grace has not been withdrawn, neither has it lost its power and effect. We are talking about a God of mercy and grace, who offered his own life for us so we could become the righteousness of God. For such a high price paid, a lot is expected of me if I am to take full advantage of all that is on offer. That is the message of today's extract. 

Message and Response:

For a man to fully adhere to today's extract, a healthy dose of self - esteem is required. A man who knows who he was before he met Christ and can testify to the change that has been wrought inside of him does not need another person's validation. If I know that Christ died for me, and I have accepted him as Lord and Saviour, with the evidence of his presence inside of me, do I need any other person to tell me how to feel? Why would I listen to a mere mortal like myself, when I have the immortal God living inside me?  Let it be repeated: a man who will align with today's extract does not need man's validation, applause or even disapproval; he knows who he is, what he is now and where he is headed. 

What does this new reality demand of me? It tells me that selfish ambition and vain conceit have no room in my life, if I am truly a child of God. A man can only be proud if there is something he did to affect the outcome of that which he has. Apart from simply accepting the gift of life as offered, what else could I have done? My numerous blood sacrifices could not save me; a good reputation was not just enough. Where is the room for pride or vain conceit? How do I become proud of something that is not of my own making? That is the deep lesson for me today, which should make me pause and consider my present pursuits and priorities. 

When I know who I am, who I belong to, and where I am headed, it won't matter to me how you view me. Your opinions about me do not keep me up at night. Like the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when the crowd shouted 'Hossana in the highest' and then shortly after, the same crowd shouted 'Crucify him', I know the danger of setting my life up on other people's expectations. Please consider this passage where Jesus washed his disciples' feet: Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

John 13:3‭-‬4 NIV

Did you notice the confidence and assurance Jesus had about who he was, where he was from and where he was headed? He did not need to remind anyone of who he was, as some of us like to do; he did not need to prove a point to anyone. He knew who he was, and that was enough for him to serve, even as low as washing the feet of his disciples. 

Can I dare 'stoop' so low? Is my ego big enough to accommodate such sacrifices? Can I see service as a means of promoting God, not myself? Do I see what I do as a representative of the One I claim to know and follow? No matter what I tell myself in response to these questions, God knows the truth. Where there is room for only one, can I let another person in, even if it is to my detriment? I can only ask God for grace to help me put others first, even if it hurts. There is a time for other people to be given preference; there is a time when God himself will open doors for me. I ask God for grace to know the season of my own manifestation, so I don't jump ahead of him. His time of favour is here.