Philippians 2:1-4
Philippians 2:1-4
New King James Version (NKJV)
Imitating Christ’s Humility
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
My Thoughts:
- Let’s start with (vv. 1, 2) we read “1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”
- We are to learn from Christ, His meekness and compassion are traits we are to imitate. We must also understand that being a Christian does not mean that you are perfect, being a Christian is a growing experience and we will continue to grow until Christ returns.
- In (v. 3) we read “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”
- Nothing truly good can be accomplished through work done in this manner. If we are working for self-interest rather than in humility, then we are not imitating Christ.
- Let’s finish with (v. 4) “not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others”
- Christians have a responsibility for the spiritual heath of others. Christians are to live for others just as Christ did and when we do, then and only then can He live in us.
Thought of the Day
“We must learn to weep before we can dry another’s tears.”
Following the death of our 17-year-old daughter in a car accident in June 2002, each member of our family handled the loss differently. For my wife, among the most helpful sources of comfort were visits from moms who had also lost a child in an accident.
Sue found strength in their stories, and she wanted them to tell her how God had been faithful in their lives, despite the deep sorrow that comes with losing a precious child.
Soon Sue became part of a circle of compassion, a small group of moms who could weep, pray, and seek God’s help together. That cadre of grieving moms formed a bond of empathy and hope that provided encouragement in the face of her daily sorrow.
Each person grieves uniquely, yet we all need to share our hearts, our burdens, our questions, and our sadness with someone else. That’s why it’s vital that we find others with whom to discuss our pain and sorrow.
In our relationship with Christ, we find encouragement, consolation, love, fellowship, affection, and mercy (Philippians 2:1). God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4). So let’s “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Then others will find a circle of compassion too. —Dave Branon
A heartfelt tear can show our love
As words can never do;
It says, “I want to share your pain
My heart goes out to you.”
Personal Reflection and Discussion
- How is your life imitating the life Christ lived?
- Are you living a Christian life or are you just living?
- What other things do you see in the text?
Prayer Activities
- Call your Partner and discuss this devotional.
- Continue to have a prayer list and continue to praying for them.
- Pray with them and ask for the following;
- For God to help live the life Christ asks of us.
- For God to strengthen your prayer life.
- For the individuals on your pray list.
- Let’s use (Psalms 99:1-3) for today’s prayer verse.
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Wow, so much was said in just four verses. So many people don’t understand humility and humbleness. They think it makes you weak. I look at my Lord and see such strenght. Look at what He endured for us and yet He was so humble. I sometimes wonder if I am just living and then I realize that the devil is doing his work on me. I call out to Jesus and He grabs my hands and pulls me back up. Walking with Jesus, trying to be like Jesus, makes me happy, joyful and through Him I am really living. Looking back on my past I can see how God has changed my thinking, changed what I now see as acceptable in this world. I could never have done any of it without my Lord. I know I still have sooo far to go but I don’t have to do it alone.
Paul is asking them to dig deep and find compassion and love, and comfort one another. It’s so easy to pass by someone’s pain and not relate. We as christians should find the source of our encouragement and comfort to be Christ and direct others to that source. We may not totally understand what that person is going through, but we could empathize and imagine what it would be like. What a wonderful gift to be able to not only sympathize, but empathize. There is no real excuse why we should pass a hurting person by and not be able to show them compassion and help in some way. Just knowing someone cared enough to share themselves unslefishly speaks volumes of the Love that inhabit our hearts and the difference it makes in one owns peace and in the peace of the world around.