Considering Others Better Than Yourself
By Amanda Idleman
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” - Philippians 2:3
Yikes, that verse stings! Selfish ambition is kind of the default response for humans. We want to protect ourselves, be the ones to excel, and we want to be heard. It’s so hard to live against these impulses. I think we all can relate when Paul said I do the things I don’t want to! (Romans 7:15-20) Yet, God calls us to practice humility. We are to see others as made in his image, valuable, worth encouraging, and most of all worth serving. We are not meant to be at the center of our own lives. Humility is having a modest view of our importance. It’s not self-hate. We can be confident and humble. It's to see ourselves in context, as a part of a family, community, workplace, marriage, and more.
When we focus on our failures, we fall into a different sort of pride that is hyper-focused on our abilities or lack of in a particular situation. We were not created to have all the answers or skills. Each person is different, with individual strengths and weaknesses. Accepting the way we have been created is an important part of developing godly humility. What are some steps we can take to counteract our self-obsession and see ourselves with a proper view of our place in this world?
Serve Others with Love
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” Galatians 5:13
God by his grace has set us free! Freedom tears away the narrative that we are useless, broken, and lost. It gives us a new story in which we are called forgiven sons and daughters of God. He knows this freedom is a special gift and we need to use it wisely. God’s word encourages us to take the freedom and other spiritual gifts we have been given to serve others. Service helps us to see ourselves in the proper context. We are not only aware of our own needs, desires, gifts, and talents but also notice those of others around us. Service gives us the chance to be an answer to prayer for someone else! How cool is that?!
Study God’s Word
God’s Word reminds us humanity is limited in our ability. We quickly forget all he has done for us. Reading the Bible helps us to stay focused on the truth, a truth he reveals to us differently in each season of life. Studying the Bible also reminds us we were made with a purpose that is much bigger than ourselves. We were made to worship God and love others. When we focus our lives on these two things, we practice humility naturally.
Live Reverently Before God
The Bible tells us we must live with the “fear of God.” Fear sounds like a scary word today, but it means we are called to live humbly before God. My son is researching Isaac Newton for school. Newton said just the human fingerprint should be enough to convince us that God exists. He lived with a fear of the Lord. He understood that God’s power, intelligence, ability, and creativity exceed our wildest imaginations. Creation is complex, perfectly orchestrated, and filled with harmonious beauty… it is no accident!
We are to consider others better than ourselves because God tells us to. When we live humbly and obediently before the Lord, much of our actions come from a heart to follow him. He tells us to seek humble, quiet, service-filled lives… so that is what our pursuit should be. Reverent obedience to the Lord produces a life of humility.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
The Bible teaches that we are to rest weekly and that our bodies are a temple. Honoring God and others includes caring for yourself. Remember humility is not martyrdom, it's a modest view of your importance. You matter. God loves you. He also loves your neighbor. You're called to care for both yourself and your neighbor. The story of your life is meant to be bigger than just you! Make a point to serve others out of obedience and abundance.
Further Reading
- How to Serve Other With Love, Without Getting Burnt Out
- 3 Beautiful Prayers for Humility
- Philippians 2
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Eva-Katalin
Amanda Idleman is a writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully. She writes devotions for My Daily Bible Verse Devotional and Podcast, Crosswalk Couples Devotional, the Daily Devotional App, she has work published with Her View from Home, on the MOPS Blog, and is a regular contributor for Crosswalk.com. She has most recently published a devotional, Comfort: A 30 Day Devotional Exploring God's Heart of Love for Mommas. You can find out more about Amanda on her Facebook Page or follow her on Instagram.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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