Steven A. Bush - October 20, 2024
Counting Others More Significant
Philippians 2:3-4 says: "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (ESV) The VOICE version illuminates those verses like this: "Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.” Paul follows these powerful admonitions by showing how Christ Jesus perfectly modeled and exemplified all this via His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. And it's likely Paul was quoting the oldest credal hymn of the time. Some have rightly said that the genuineness of a person's faith and relationship with God is manifested best when no one else is watching. What does love look like when a neighbor or stranger or even an enemy is down for the count and it's just you and them? When pressed about who our neighbor was, Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan. To the Samaritan, that lone bleeding Jew was a stranger and enemy but he cared for him like a beloved neighbor. So Jesus has set the bar high for us, not only by the example of the Samaritan, but especially and most assuredly by the example of Himself!
Scripture References: Philippians 2:1-11, Acts 17:30-31, Hebrews 7:25