SHARING BREAD
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.
Phil 2:3-4
(NIV)
To be sure, being overly preoccupied with oneself is sin. Paul continues his discourse on unity among
believers in our verses for today and hits hard on selfish ambition and vain
conceit both being major drawbacks to harmony among our brothers and sisters in
Christ. Nothing, states Paul, is to be
done out of selfish ambition. The Greek
wording used here indicates an inordinate eagerness to seek gain, a vying for
power or prestige. It represents a
mercenary motive of self-interest and refers to self-seeking aspirations and
interests which are purely self-serving.
Ever had the misfortune of being around one with such ambition? Not a pretty sight to be sure! Indeed, it is quite repugnant and
pitiful. In their wanting desperate need
to have their cups filled they go about looking in all the wrong places – the
forced (or even non-forced) accolades of man which they are seeking will never truly
satisfy and they always end up craving even more and more. Yet when the believer’s cups are filled with
the Living Water they, as King David’s, overflow. Jesus alone satisfies completely.
3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,
he deceives himself. Gal 6:3 (NIV)
“If
I really love God, my innate and persistent selfishness will have received its
death blow.” Alexander Smellie
“Those who know God will be humble. Those who know themselves cannot be
proud.” John Trapp
Certainly,
this self-aggrandizing attitude - which shows itself as seeking to get ahead at
another’s expense - is of the flesh and not of the Spirit. Indeed, Paul writes that it is a part of the
sinful nature in Galatians:
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry
and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions 21 and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that
those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21 (NIV)
James also tells us a truly wise person seeks not selfish glory
or gain rather is gracious and giving.
Wisdom from above is described by him as pure, peace-loving,
considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. In contrast, selfish ambition produces disorder
and every sort evil practice - Satan’s handiwork to be sure:
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there
you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all
pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit,
impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers
who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:16-18 (NIV)
“The enemy of your soul only has two battle plans. 1. Blind you to who God is. 2. And blind you to who you are.” Ann Voskamp
“The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has
the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that
experience out in his everyday life. If
you say you are sanctified, show it. The
experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you
self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself,
regardless of how beautiful it may sound.”
Oswald Chambers
Paul calls all believers to a higher standard in Romans
stating out of honor and sincerity we are to give place to one another
considering others above ourselves:
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what
is good. 10 Be
devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves. Romans 12:9-10 (NIV)
Jesus, our Supreme example, states in the Gospels - over and
over again - we are not to dwell on self rather follow His perfect example Who
poured out His life for us:
23 Then he said to them all: “If
anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. 24 For
whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
will save it. 25 What
good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very
self? 26 If
anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him
when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy
angels.” Luke
9:23-26 (NIV)
“If the Word does not dwell with power in us, it will not
pass with power from us.” John Owen
What I glean from this:
· I am not
to be overly preoccupied with self.
· In
humility, I should consider others above myself.
· My faith
must be sincere. I am to hate evil and cling
to good.
