Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Meet selfish ambition and conceit. They are the TWINS of TURMOIL. They are mean, hateful, prideful, destructive, and major in stirring up conflict, bringing DIVISION wherever they live and work. Proverbs 13:10 says “By pride comes nothing but strife.” Let’s get to know them better so we may avoid LIVING LIKE THEM as the apostle Paul says LET NOTHING BE DONE like them.
Selfish ambition looks to get AHEAD by PUSHING OTHERS down.
Conceit looks to get ahead by pushing oneself UP.
Selfish ambition talks DOWN a person.
Conceit talks UP themselves.
Selfish ambition likes to tell others how BAD and PATHETIC others are to make themselves look better.
Conceit likes to tell others how GREAT & WONDERFUL they are to make themselves look better.
*(Instead of singing HOW GREAT THOU ART, they like to sing HOW GREAT I AM!)
The twins of turmoil are concerned only about themselves. When a person thinks only of themselves, they become SELFISH. They only look out for #1 which, of course, is them.
They are constantly looking out for what they can GET.
For them, the world does revolve around them.
Their keywords will be I. ME. MY. and MINE. (A word monument of SELFISHNESS)
As a Christian one is challenged to live a very contrasting life. One of the teachings that Jesus gave said, “On the contrary, it shall not be so with you.” The Christian is not living a life of selfishness but of selflessness. It is a life of humility.
Humility is not thinking less of self but rather living a life where one is not thinking of self first.
The growing Christian moves from selfishness to service. One will begin to ESTEEM others better than oneself. To ESTEEM means to hold another above, higher than oneself even to the point of seeing them as superior. Instead of pushing others down the believer pushes others up. Instead of honoring oneself, the believer honors others better than themselves.
Very few verses challenge us as much as Philippians 2:3-4 regarding how we think about and treat others. One stops thinking only of self, only of self first, and being selfish to where one starts thinking of OTHERS before self. Keywords for the humble are YOUR and YOU and OURS and US.
So, who will you be looking out for today? YOURSELF or OTHERS?
Will this be a day of selfishness or a day of SELFLESSNESS?
Will this be a day of HONORING yourself or HUMBLING yourself?
A one-word mission statement is OTHERS.
Continue Strong HONORING OTHERS OVER YOU!
And remember to DATE The Word