Support the Interests of Others

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

The Peaceful Kingdom

Philippians 2:1-11  The Message

He Took on the Status of a Slave

2 ^1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. 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.

^5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
^9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

For Reflection

Be supportive!  Be descriptive as opposed to judgmental.  Instead of trying to control things collaborate to solve a mutual problem.  Rather than forming strategies, spontaneously exploit circumstance.  Replace neutrality with empathy.  Displace superiority with equality.  Be provisional rather than certain.  Fight the urge to become defensive.  Be supportive!  Make your first interest another's best interest.

Pray

that you remember that God is sovereign.  Pray that you will worship God with your obedience, kindness and trust.  Pray that you lose yourself in service to God.