It’s Not About You

As infants we are totally dependent on others for our survival, but we have zero concern for their needs. As adolescents we understand that other people have needs but we still tend to see our relationship with them as one in which they supply us with the things that we need. Very little flows in the other direction. Part of being fully functioning as an adult is the realization that there is a need, if not an obligation, for those who can to provide for those who need.

What's needed for the fully functioning Christian is a much deeper sense of this same idea. To live up to God's expectations of His children the Christian is called on to do more than give up some time and money to do volunteer work for the less fortunate. In Galatians 2:20, Paul makes this statement, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

Paul reminds us that he was crucified with Christ, so that even though he is still alive he has surrendered his life over to Christ. Paul was an amazing man and did amazing things, and here we see how he was able to accomplish the amazing things of which we read in Acts. He gave up his life for Christ to live in him, "not I, but Christ liveth in me." Why should we be any different? Imagine how much more worthy our lives would be if we could come to perfect agreement with Paul in this concept. All our decisions would indeed be based on 1 Peter 3:21 " . . . we should follow in His steps." What Christ would do is what we would do because it is "not [us], but Christ." This was Paul's motivating principle.

It's a grave injustice, but let's leave an immense amount of great teaching in Phillipians 2 untouched so we can concentrate on vs 3-4, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others." It's important, necessary, to see the trees here, but the forest is telling us, "It's not all about you." In fact, it's barely about you at all. An accurate and meaningful translation of the Greek would be - don't do anything led by self-seeking ambition or vain pride.

For example, when leading the congregation in some facet of worship on a Sunday morning, do you choose your content, words, and manner so that the assembly will receive the most meaningful effect you can provide and their worship hopefully be moved to a higher level even though your presence may be lost in the "spirit" of the moment? Especially so that your presence may be lost? Or do you decide and behave in hope that the congregation will be impressed with your performance? That would be self-seeking ambition and pride. When you lead public prayers are you trying to help people connect with God in a way that leaves you unnoticed in their sincere connection with their God. Or do you hope to impress with your eloquence? Jesus took notice of those who wished to be noticed, but it wasn't good. Please open your Bible and read Matthew 6:1-8.

When there is a dinner for a funeral family, or any other "social" event, are you involved in a way that's certain to get you noticed amidst the hustle and bustle of such an event? The real question is are you doing that hoping that everybody notices that you are an integral part of this event, or is the fact that you're noticed an ancillary problem you'd rather avoid?

These are merely examples. The point is whether in your mind the events you participate in, the activities that you do, the words you say, etc., are about you or whether they are about other people and about God? Which way do you see it? That is all the difference. Be honest with yourself. If you need to improve, you need to improve, and you will never do it if you are not honest about it.

If you run through a checklist of such issues and blithely check yourself in the right in every situation, you might entertain a question about your honesty in self-evaluation. It may be that you are that humble and self-denying, but this is one of those issues where many of us will have to "buffet our bodies daily," as Paul said, in order to get this right. And it would seem the more talented, the more ability you have the more this would become an issue.

We all love to be noticed and complimented for things we do well. Please note, it is not sinful to be noticed and complimented for doing something well, neither by the complimented nor the complimentor. The problem is the self-seeking pride and vanity that causes one to do things in order to be seen and noticed. It's hard not to hope that people notice you and appreciate you. But if that's why you perform your worship to God and your service to others, your reason is wrong and that little, "good job," somebody said to you is the only reward you're ever going to get. God saves His reward for those who are more high-minded, that are not self-centered and ambitious.

So far we've covered the first phrase of Phil. 2:3. Christians don't do things to bring attention to themselves. Christians avoid doing things to bring attention to themselves. We don't try to "seem better than" other people. We don't put on airs, we don't behave with affectations. Many people find it perfectly natural to do all those things. People who are following Christ don't. Instead (back to Phil 2:3-4) Christ's followers have lowliness of mind, meaning humility. Christ's followers esteem others better than themselves.

Notice, a Christian does not esteem others equal to self, but better than self. Christians are not only not self-centered, they are actively other-centered. Christians are not individually concerned with their own affairs above all else, but the true follower of Christ has concerns for the affairs of other people at an equal level to their own. This only makes sense for a person who esteems others better than themselves.

So a few paragraphs ago we were saying, "Oh I got this. No problem here. Check. Check. Check." What are we saying now? This is where the rubber meets the road. This is the nitty gritty. Have we become the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-23, coming to Jesus saying, "I don't drink, I don't commit adultery, I don't murder, I don't steal, etc., What lack I yet?" and Jesus asks, "have you noticed Phillipians 2? How's your attitude toward others?" Will we walk away sorrowfully for we have much pride and self-ambition?

In verses 6-8 of Phillipians 2, Paul gives us an example. He speaks of how Jesus Christ, the very son of God, by all rights equal to God, rather than pridefully (and rightfully) demanding the glory He deserved, instead humbled Himself. Just becoming a man is humbling enough for the son of God, but beyond that He became obedient unto death, even the humiliating and terrible death of the cross.

Yes, this is Jesus the Son of God. What Paul describes was done to redeem man from his sin. Jesus was not acting out of selfish ambition but out of "other-centerednesss." Jesus humbled Himself, gave up Himself, by this description for you, for me, for others. Paul wants it to be abundantly clear that this is the mindset of Jesus, our Savior.

And he says in verse 5, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." So it's not you, but Christ living in you. And if Christ lives in you, it's not your mind that controls you, but the humble, "other-centered" mind of Christ.

• Crying infant image is AI generated.