Written by Mark D. Roberts, a contemporary author.
In the second chapter of his letter to the Christians in Philippi, the Apostle Paul encourages the Philippians to be unified in mutual love. Then he warns them not to do anything for selfish purposes. Rather, they should exercise humility by thinking of others as better than yourselves. This other-centered mindset suggests the following imperative: Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. Watch out for what is better for others! That sounds very much like what I’m calling living and leading for the good of others. If your humility is genuine, not only will you think of others more than yourself, but also you will pay attention to what is good for them, even best for them, before worrying about what’s best for you. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll have to admit that this isn’t easy to do…We are not wired to prioritize the good of others, paying closest attention to them and their needs… So, why, you might wonder, should we do what does not come naturally? Why put others first? Why watch out for their good before watching out for my own good? Paul’s answer to this question: Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus… Christ provides not only the rationale for watching out for the good of others, but also the superlative example of such watching out.
Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others. Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 2:3-5]
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