Two Sundays ago on this page I encouraged you to do what Paul says here: “in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
How’d you do?
If you’re like me, you did really well right up until the point that you got out of bed.
It’s just hard . . . really hard.
Sometimes it goes against everything within you, and it seems to require superhuman effort to make it through a few hours.
If we can’t make it through a day, what are our chances for making it a way of life? The key—though it’s not a magic pill, of course—is in the same paragraph:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5).
Some Bibles translate it passively—“Let this mind be in you”—but it should almost certainly be active:
- “Have this attitude in yourselves” (NASB).
- “Have the same attitude of mind” (TNIV).
- “You must have the same attitude” (NLT).
In other words, choose to have this attitude, because it won’t come naturally.
But how can you consistently choose to have the right attitude, especially when the right attitude doesn’t come naturally?
The answer is in the last part of the verse: “which is yours in Christ Jesus.”
We find the selfless attitude as we get closer to Christ. We think about the needs of others in direct proportion to how much we think about Christ.
I think this is the way it works: the more we think about Christ, who always thought about others, the less we think about self.
So let’s try it again this week.
Count others more significant than yourself. Choose that attitude as you go to work or school, interact with your kids or spouse, or face difficult people.
Only this time, take your mind back to Christ as often as you can. The attitude you’re wanting—the selfless, other-focused, attitude—is yours, but it’s yours in Christ.
As you focus on him you’ll find yourself loving the people around you more.
—Chuck
0 Comments