Devotion: Philippians 2:3-4

Philippians 2:3-4 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 the others.

If you have been with us for a while, either online or through other books, you know this is a verse that has been studied before. Today we study it again, this time focusing on humility.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition is not hard to understand. We are not going to do anything that is selfish or for ourselves. It is easy for us to get into habits that meet our own needs. But Paul is telling the recipients of this letter that they are NOT to focus on themselves or their own selfish needs. Instead, they are to focus on others.

But we don’t just focus on others. We do so in humility. We do this with an attitude of humble, compassionate care for others. We look to their needs first, putting our own needs aside for the moment, and we do what we can to help them. We make ourselves less, making them more. We put others above ourselves, making them the focus of our service. Paul says we are to look to their needs, not our own which means focusing on them rather than ourselves.

The same is true today. We should be valuing others and seeing to their needs before we see to our own. We should not be making ourselves the focus of things. We have a humble attitude and we value others above ourselves. We model our actions after Christ’s, who had a humble demeanor the entire time He ministered throughout the holy lands. He served as He was here. He healed, He encouraged, He forgave. And most of all, He loved. He did not judge or turn away. He gave of Himself – so why can’t we do the same?

Today look for opportunities to value others above yourselves. Be humble as you serve others, putting their needs above your own. The joy you’ll feel from doing good is indescribable.

Prayer: Lord, Help me focus on the needs of others. Let me see their needs and find ways to serve them, making them the priority while humbling myself. Amen

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