Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
[3] “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
Have you ever considered how often we either compare ourselves to other believers or we treat others with contempt because they are not like us? These are two subtle attitudes that belong strictly to our old self and have no place in the way we think of one another in God’s kingdom.
What happens to the fellowship if we, as believers in Jesus, allow the remnants of our old self to creep back into our thinking? We begin to erode our unity by allowing barriers of mistrust, pride, or insecurity, to separate our hearts.
Competition is very much a part of some congregations. Positions, office, titles, are big on their agenda. Some even invent an office that does not exist in Scripture, God’s “generals“ i.e., intercessors. Intercession is an integral part of all prayer, not a specific title given to some.
1 Timothy 2:1 NIV
[1]” I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—”
What is the root of comparison or contempt? Once again, it’s the idol of self that imperceptibly replaces our pure worship of Jesus. Comparing ourselves with others means that we either see ourselves as better or worse than our fellow believers. We focus on our/their performance, gifts, or even the notion that we/they are superior in understanding God’s Word or receiving revelation or new insight into some truth of Scripture.
We think that seeing ourselves as less than another is humility. It isn’t! It’s an inverted form of pride. Whether we see ourselves as more or less than another, the focus is still on us! We keep looking at ourselves and want others to look at us too. When we put ourselves down in front of another, we are crying for approval and accolades.
We treat others with contempt to boost our own insecure morale. The more secure we are in God’s love for us, the less we need to elevate ourselves above others. Whether by comparison or contempt, we are constantly parading our need for the affirmation only God can give us. His approval, freely given to us because of Jesus, lays to rest all our need to put ourselves on display.
Ephesians 1:5-8 NLT
[5] “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. [6] So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. [7] He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. [8] He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.”
According to Paul’s adamant assertion, we have left these old attitudes behind and become brand new inside.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT
[16] “So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! [17] This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
How can we overcome this subtle tendency to slide back into the self-awareness that parades itself in front of others? By comparison with the world’s ways, which is to nurture self with all its demands, our obligation in this new life is to put self to death through the Spirit’s power, by focusing our attention, first, on Jesus, and then on the interests and needs of others.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NLT
[14] “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. [15] He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”
God has given us a powerful motivation for putting ourselves to death, not literally but in our attitude towards others. Jesus gave His life for us. He calls us, by His grace, to give our lives for others. We show our love for Him by responding to the needs of others.
No one needs comparison. We are all unique and equally loved. God has no favourites. His love, mercy, and grace are freely available for all people. No one needs contempt. Contempt only degrades us at another’s expense.
Everyone needs to know God’s love by experiencing it through us who represent Him by the way we treat them.
Paul’s solution is twofold…put off and put on. Like the used garments we take off at the end of the day, we deliberately and purposefully “put off” the soiled attitudes of self-awareness and self-absorption.
Putting off means replacing old attitudes with new attitudes, like Jesus’s attitude to us, with loving thoughts and actions towards others.
It’s a slow process. The old nature’s automatic reaction is to think badly of others. We are programmed towards alienation and hostility. The first step is to acknowledge the source of our thoughts. This thought is not of God.
Step two is to choose to think new thoughts of understanding and love. Put Jesus in the mix. What does He think of us, and of the person we downgrade? Do I need to put someone else down to elevate myself?
No, we are both unique and precious to God. We can rest comfortably in who we are in union with Jesus, holy and beloved, and we can allow others to be who they are without judging them, their words, or behaviour. That prerogative belongs to Jesus alone.
What a big step towards the answer to Jesus prayer! We are already one in Him. Let’s live it out for His glory.