VALUING OTHERS ABOVE SELF
“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.” Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
Putting the interests of others before our own stands as a direct antithesis to the current epidemic of selfishness and entitlement that hides beneath the banner of “self-love.”
Self-love in itself is not wrong, the Scriptures do say to love others as we love ourselves. Yet the truth is this: we often do not know how to love ourselves rightly. And when our understanding of love is distorted, we end up loving others in ways that are not always honoring to them or to God.
In our theme passage, Paul lays out a framework that seems simple in theory but is difficult to walk out without the enabling of the Holy Spirit. First, he commands us to do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit.
Conceit is simply an excessive confidence and pride in oneself. So anything we do from a prideful heart, relying on ourselves, seeking personal gain, or disregarding the worth of those made in God’s image, runs directly against this instruction.
Humility becomes the only cure. When we are consistently brought low by the realization of how much grace and mercy God pours over us daily, it reshapes the way we see others.
Their value becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of what Christ has done for us. And from that posture, placing the interests of others above our own is no longer a burden but a form of worship.
Prayer: My Father, I thank You for the grace that humbles my heart and teaches me to see others through Your eyes. Deliver me from selfish ambition, from pride, and from the subtle ways I seek myself first. Form in me the mind of Christ, gentle, lowly, and attentive to the needs of others. May my life reflect the humility of the One who made Himself of no reputation for my sake. In Jesus’ name, amen.
CI.
RELATED RESOURCES
• Romans 12:10
• Galatians 5:13
• Ephesians 4:2
