OUCH

i always remember Philippians chapter 2 as the humility chapter. the first half of it talks about Christ not considering equality with God something to be grasped but humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. the second section talks about being blameless and pure so that we can shine like stars in a dark world as we hold out the word of life. what i never really looked at was the end of the chapter. on friday, that's what i got to do. and verse 21 hit me hard. basically, Paul was commending Timothy to the church in Philippi as a man worth honouring and he contrasts Timothy's genuine interest in them with the general population who are completely absorbed in their own selves.

thinking about that further and seeing how it came on the heels of the humility blurb, i realized that i'd found the key to increasing humility. to be humble, we must consider the interests of Jesus. in other words, when we care about what Christ cares about, we will be humble. when we take genuine interest in the people around us, it is inevitable that we put our own interests aside. humility, then, is a question of whose interests we take to heart - our own, or God's.

For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
~Philippians 2:21~