Begone Selfishness; Welcome Humility || Philippians 2:3-4 || Manna for the Mind #109

Welcome to Day 109 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Today’s passage is Philippians 2:3-4. We’ll discuss what it means to remove selfishness from our thoughts, words, and actions.

Philippians 2:3-4

AMP	NLT	MSG
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.	3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.	3-4 Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
4 Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.	4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Selfishness can ruin a community; genuine humility can strengthen it. Being humble is about having a proper perspective of ourselves. It’s acknowledging our faults and weaknesses. It’s recognizing the strengths and gifts God has given us. It’s not doing it in a way of pride and boosting our ego, but it’s a way to recognize our identity as a Christian and child of God. This doesn’t allow us to put ourselves down. Before our relationship with God, we were sinners who could only be rescued by God’s grace. God did save us, which shows our value and worth in the kingdom of God. We must set aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. We are all struggling with sinful desires and actions. Still, true humility involves setting aside yourself to help those in need. There’s a balance to it, though. We must remember that even Jesus stepped away to pray and recharge. Make sure you are in a healthy space to do so, and have the Spirit of God ready to walk alongside you to help keep you in check.

Let’s take a moment to talk about Philippi’s community. It was a cosmopolitan city. The church’s composition reflects great diversity, with people from various backgrounds and walks of life. Acts 16 gives a deeper insight into the diverse community. The community included Lydia, a Jewish convert from Asia and a wealthy businesswoman; the slave girl, probably a native Greek; the jailer, probably a Roman; and more. With these diverse backgrounds, unity may have been challenging to accomplish. Although we don’t have scriptural references to a possible division, Paul wanted to safeguard its unity as a beacon of light for the entire world. Paul wanted them and us to guard against any selfishness, prejudice, or jealousy that might lead to dissension. Showing a genuine interest in others is a positive step toward maintaining unity. We want to stay in our bubble of what we know. We talk with like-minded people, commune with people who look like us, and, in turn, turn away those who don’t think or look like us. Paul wants us to invite those who don’t look at us and invite them into a community. Paul wants us to ask respectful questions about their life, history, community, and more. Paul wants us to invite them to join events that might pull them out of their comfort zone or ask them to attend an event that places them outside their comfort zone. Finding unity may be uncomfortable, but it represents God’s kingdom best.

Romans 12:10

AMP	NLT	MSG
10 Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor;	10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.	10 Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

We can honor people in one of two ways. One involves an ulterior motive, trying to make friends with someone to get something out of the relationship. The other involves the love of God. As Christians, we lift people up because they are God’s creation, they are our siblings in Christ, and they have their own unique contribution to God’s kingdom. Love is about genuine affection. We celebrate those around us. We share their successes and celebrate with them. It’s not about us in those moments, even when we’re planning the celebration. Still, it’s about making the person loved and cared for in all capacities.

Galatians 5:26

AMP	NLT	MSG
26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.	26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.	26 That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

Everyone needs a certain amount of approval from others. When it becomes our main priority, and we go out of our way to secure that approval, we get conceited and show we’re not following the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We are to live according to the Spirit and the approval of God only. We need to ensure we have approval from our communities here, but their approval is not gospel. We won’t need to envy others when we seek approval from God. Because we are God’s children, we have His Holy Spirit as the loving guarantee of his approval. Seek to please God, and the approval of others won’t seem necessary.

1 Peter 5:5

AMP	NLT	MSG
5 Likewise, you younger men [of lesser rank and experience], be subject to your elders [seek their counsel]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.	5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”	5 And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for— God has had it with the proud, But takes delight in just plain people.

People of all ages can benefit from Peter’s words here. Pride keeps an older generation from trying to understand the younger generation and keeps the younger generation from listening to the older. Peter told all generations to be humble and serve others. To not make things all about you and disregard all others. Young people. The old people have the wisdom to help you understand how the work can work, how relationships should go, and how to overcome problems. Old people. Young people want to see the world be a better place, so listen to their concerns, trust that their emotions are legitimate regardless of your thoughts, and help them be set up for success through your words and actions. We can serve others by creating a reality that cares for them regardless of our agenda. Respect those around you, listen to those around you, and be humble enough to recognize that you don’t know it all and that you can learn from others.

Father God, thank you for the gift of humility. We understand that the world doesn’t revolve around us and that we do not need to manipulate our communities to get what we need; you provide it all. Help us to put others first, to lift up their successes, and to care for the needs and wants of others. Help us to do it in your name. Amen.