Look Out!

Read: Philippians 2:1-8

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

                                                                                                                    Philippians 2:4

     So many people today are focused only on themselves. All you have to do to see it is to open your eyes to what is going on around you. The most-used word of 2013 was selfie, a term used to describe a picture that someone takes of himself. When that is the number one word used, it describes a society enamored by their own self-worth. Internet sites like Facebook and Twitter only magnify the obsession people have with themselves. What makes a person think that everyone wants to know what is going on during every minute of their life? “Just unscrewed the toothpaste cap J;” “Just finished eating a hamburger”; and “Just drove to the store” might be a few samples of tweets and Facebook posts that you might encounter. The worship of celebrities who are obsessed with themselves has only fueled the passion that people have to be noticed and adored. The point is that just about all of society has stopped caring about other people and have become interested only in their wants, their needs, and their desires – “and if you don’t like it, you can get over it.”

     It was the exact opposite attitude that brought Jesus to earth as a man. He did not come to bring all the attention to Himself by showing His greatness or power. He did not come to satisfy some long-standing desire He had to live as a man. He came to seek and save sinners. He accomplished that objective by demonstrating one of the most profound examples of humility ever witnessed by taking on the form of a servant. From God to servant? – That is incomprehensible by human standards. Jesus did it, however, because, to Him, it was all about helping poor, lost sinners find hope through salvation. He was so concerned with the needs of others that He often lacked sleep, food, and shelter as His Father’s plan led Him on His journey to the cross.

     We would do well to follow Christ’s example. Someone once said that a man wrapped up in himself makes a very small package. True greatness is not characterized by looking inward at our own needs, but in looking outward at the needs of others. Humility does not say, “What can I do so that everyone can learn about me?” but “What can I do to learn about others and help them in their needs?” Christianity would be much more attractive to a lost world, and the world would be a much brighter place to live if we would only begin to follow the example of Christ in looking not at our own issues, but on the needs of those around us.

Quote of the day: “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”  - Albert Einstein