Toy Stories: Ken — Provider vs. Performer - Friday
Today’s Verse
Philippians 2:1
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy… (ESV)
This week, we’ve done a deep dive on Paul’s words to the followers of Jesus in Phillipi found in Philippians 2:3. But why did Paul give this challenge? Where does it come from?
Paul suggests in Philippians 2:1 that if we have been encouraged because of our walk with Jesus, if we have been comforted by the love of Jesus, if we have seen and experienced the work of the Holy Spirit within us, if our hearts are tender and compassionate, then naturally we will see selflessness and consideration for others flow out of us because of Jesus.
Put more simply, where Jesus has worked within us, His love for others will flow out of us.
That is where selflessness and compassion for others begin. It begins with Jesus transforming our hearts and shaping our character to look more like His.
All week long, we have been talking about becoming Philippians 2:3 people.
We can try hard, but if we don’t understand why we need to flee from selfish ambition and conceit and towards humility, we may fail to really allow God to transform our hearts. If the reason we want to be selfless is to “be a better person,” then our focus is still on ourselves. We are still acting out of selfish ambition. We are trying to better ourselves (or become “better followers of Jesus”) for ourselves, not for others.
But, if we have experienced and are moved by the selfless act of Jesus’ death on the cross, if we are comforted by the love that Jesus has for us and by the fact that He provides our needs, then we no longer need to look at or look out for ourselves.
Jesus is watching over us so that we can watch out for others. That is why we are able to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but rather in humility, we count others as more significant than ourselves. Where Jesus has worked within us, His love for others will flow out of us.
APPLICATION
Spend some time today thinking through and answering these questions:
Have you been encouraged because of Jesus? How so?
Have you been comforted by Jesus? How so?
How have you seen the Holy Spirit working within you?
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you for providing for me. Thank you for looking out for me. Thank you for working in my life. I ask that you would continue to work in my life. Shape me to look more like you, so that you could also work through me, and use me to point others towards you.