Perspectives

All of us have witnessed events during the past year or so where people banged their heads together hoping that we would take notice and come on side with their way of thinking. They turn their spin doctors free so they can attempt to shape our judgment, thinking that we will fit into their little world. These folks push their way to the front and try to sweet talk their way to the top of the pecking order. However, that is not what the Bible teaches about how we, as followers of Christ, should behave. Look at what the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:1-4 …

Philippians 2:1-4 … 1) If 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, 2) then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

I suppose I can get the idea here that if I have gained anything out of trusting Christ, if Christ’s love has shaped my thinking, and the Holy Spirit has taught us, than we must have a heart that cares for others. The Apostle Paul says;”do me a favour: Agree among yourselves, learn to love each other, become spirit-filled friends.” I should not get pushy, always wanting to be ahead of the pecking order. I must be careful not to attempt to sweet-talk my way to the top. I must learn to put myself aside, and help the other person get to the top. I must not be obsessed with that which will get me the advantage or the approval of others. And finally I must learn to forget myself long enough so that I can truly lend a helping hand to others. This is, after all, what I believe Christ taught when He walked on the face of the earth.

We must remember that Christ Jesus wants us to follow in His foot steps. We all know that he had equal status or rank with God. We also know that he never took advantage of that status under any circumstances. Whenever He faced the challenge, He set aside the privileges of deity, of heaven’s glory and took the rank of a slave, becoming God-Man, becoming like you and me—being human! This was an extraordinarily, amazingly marvellous expression of love on His part. He didn’t claim special civil liberties. No! What He did was to live a selfless, obedient life, a life that took Him to the Cross, and there He became obedient to His Father’s will and died that we might have eternal life. Because Jesus was obedient to His Father’s will, God honoured him far beyond anything or anyone.

If you and I can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Saviour of our life; and we’ve confessed that we are sinners; then we become what the Bible calls a Christian. The day will come, however, when everyone will call Jesus Christ, “Lord.” But they will do so to the glory of God the Father. Christ’s whole aim was to draw human kind to God and His saving grace. In other words, Jesus attracts people to himself so that He might bring us to an understanding of what God is like, and His saving grace.

Christ’s aim was to serve others no matter what that service might be. His goal was to teach us to take our eyes off our own selfish ambitions and to refocus our energy, serving others and there by, serving God. I understand this to mean that if I’m a Christian I must not always think about myself, but rather think about the needs of others. If I’m for ever concerned with my own interests, I’m bound to have a run in with others. If my whole life is a competition between me and others to win an earthly prize, then I will always be thinking of others as enemies or at least an adversary who has to be pushed out of the way or destroyed. Concentration on myself without doubt will lead me to try and remove others; so the aim of my life becomes not to help others up but to push them down. My concern is not my own glory but of the wonder of God’s majesty.

Would you pray this prayer with me… “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I don’t have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen