Vol. 18 No. 35 | September 5, 2016
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. (Philippians 2:1-4, The Message)
Your assignment this week: put yourself aside.
It starts, if you read further in Philippians 2, with an attitude. It is not just any attitude, it is the attitude of Christ. In order to put yourself aside, and hope other get ahead, you must develop the attitude of Christ. Interestingly enough, in order to develop the attitude of Christ, you must put yourself aside. It does not just happen. You must consciously and intentionally think about it and act on those thoughts. Remember, even a small step is still a step.
Small steps you can take this week.
When you are in line at the grocery store, let the person behind you go ahead of you. Yes, I know you are in a hurry. Let them go ahead of you anyway.
When you reach the drive-thru line at Starbucks at the same time as the other person just as desperate for that first cup of coffee, let them go ahead of you. Then, don’t grumble about it.
When you have had a hard day at work and come home to your spouse and kids, remember your spouse has probably had a hard day at work too. Remember your kids have probably been anxiously waiting for you to get home. Put yourself aside and play with the kids and give your spouse a break.
When you are having a bad day and it seems to be getting worse. Put yourself aside and do something good for someone. Give them a phone call or a text them to remind them how much they mean to you. Take a couple of extra minutes and after the pleasantries of your usual “Hey, how are you?” Wait for a real answer to that question. You might have to say, “No, I really mean it. How are you?”
When you are in the meeting with the other leaders of your company or your church or your club and you want things done your way and someone else wants things done their way, unless it is a life or death (speaking physically and spiritually) issue, let things be done their way.
When you are trying to make an important point with your spouse and making your point may determine who wins or loses the discussion (argument). Let your spouse win.
Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Consider others better than yourself. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Put yourself aside: That’s your assignment for this week. The joy you experience when you put yourself aside will make you glad you accepted the assignment.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.