I have a lot of favorite Bible
verses, but one of my favorites is Philippians 2:3; which says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” I certainly haven’t arrived when it comes
to perfectly obeying Philippians 2:3, but it is something that I think about
often, and strive to put into practice on a daily basis.
What does it mean to consider others better than yourself? Well, it means that we think about other people's interests and welfare (see Philippians 2:4). To give a few simple examples, it means opening a door for someone with their hands full. It means giving the other driver that parking space that both of you are eyeing. It means letting the person in the grocery store checkout line go ahead of you because they have less items. You get the idea; it means looking out for others, not just looking out for “number 1.”
In his book, “The Servant Principle,” the late preacher and author Dr. Rick Ferguson tells the true story of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. Booth was to give a speech regarding his vision for the Salvation Army’s coming year. Unfortunately, his health was failing, and he was unable to make the trip. The arrangements were made for Booth to put his message on paper and then telegraph the work to the Salvation Army leaders. With anticipation, Booth’s work was opened; his vision had just one word written: others!
Kevin Bauer
What does it mean to consider others better than yourself? Well, it means that we think about other people's interests and welfare (see Philippians 2:4). To give a few simple examples, it means opening a door for someone with their hands full. It means giving the other driver that parking space that both of you are eyeing. It means letting the person in the grocery store checkout line go ahead of you because they have less items. You get the idea; it means looking out for others, not just looking out for “number 1.”
In his book, “The Servant Principle,” the late preacher and author Dr. Rick Ferguson tells the true story of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. Booth was to give a speech regarding his vision for the Salvation Army’s coming year. Unfortunately, his health was failing, and he was unable to make the trip. The arrangements were made for Booth to put his message on paper and then telegraph the work to the Salvation Army leaders. With anticipation, Booth’s work was opened; his vision had just one word written: others!
Kevin Bauer
(Matthew 20:26)
Wow! You sure make me think I need to do better in this area!
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