All About Attitude: // Philippians 2:1-11

Imitating Christ's Humility
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.


Footnotes:Philippians 2:6 Or in the form of
Philippians 2:7 Or the form

Stuff that stood out:

*** 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.: Paul, you know you are talking about us silly humans here, right? You know, the ones that would rather have "their own way" on everything, always want to be "right", will talk behind someone's back like it's no biggie? Oh...you still want us to be unified? Ok...I guess we need to be praying like crazy!

In all seriousness, this challenge is so important to the expansion of Christ's message. We can say the "right things" all day long...but if all we do is quarrel and live in selfishness, well, we aren't going to get far, are we? I think one of the most important (and at times, difficult...) attitudes all followers of Jesus MUST seek is great humility. I may not always agree with someone...but is it my job to nit-pick, to tell them what I would do, and to freely go tell others how I think something should be done (when the "something" may have nothing to do with the ministry I've been called to, nothing to do with my gifts, etc.)? I think not...sadly, though, I have too often been "that guy"... I think most of us are guilty of this bad attitude. I have been praying so much lately that God would a) expose my heart to me when I start "going there" and b) that I wouldn't go there in the first place... While perfection hasn't been achieved, I have seen areas in my life improving in this... I don't want you to think I am some "raging gossip/slanderer/etc.", but I also know I am not immune to being just like some of the folks I can so easily complain about...

*** ...in humility consider others better than yourselves.; verse 3: There's that word again, humility. I think Paul's challenge to "consider others better than yourselves" is at the heart of humility. I may have wants, dreams, desires, thoughts, etc., but "me" should not be first. I think the best place (and sometimes the toughest place) to start practicing humility is in my own family. I need to lay down "me" for Missy and Jax, just because. Well, not "just because", but more specifically, because I am to model Christ's love for his Bride, the Church, to them...and, well, we all know what he went through on her/our behalf... The struggle for me is that sometimes I get caught in a bad-attitude of thinking, "Hey, I've been sacrificing alot lately! When is it my turn?!" Not what my attitude and priority should be...

*** 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...: And if all that above wasn't tough enough...there's this, haha! Really, though, this is what we should all pray for and earnestly seek: the attitude and heart of Christ in ALL THINGS. Not easy...and it doesn't mean we "get points" and get always tangibly "blessed" in return...but that isn't the point. Is doing the Lord's work truly a priority? Then we need the attitude of Jesus all over us...

Questions for me today:

Are there any relationships I need to seek reconciliation and forgiveness in, so that God's purpose can be more plainly achieved?

Where can I be more humble, especially those areas where I feel entitled to lack humility?