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Philippians 2:1-11
So yesterday we talked a little about it being ok to take care of yourself. And honestly how are we going to know how to love others, if we don’t know how to love ourselves? And where are the lines, when does self-care become selfishness.
The dictionary definition of selfish: “Of a person, action, or motive - lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.” (bing.com)
Here is just one place the Bible talks about this.
Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV) Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
“John Wesley’s favorite categories for speaking about holiness were Christological. For him, Christian holiness meant “having all the mind which was in Christ, enabling us to walk as Christ walked…loving God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.” (Philippians: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. Flemming, Dean. P126.)
Paul doesn’t just put this out there, and then tell us we need to live up to this standard. He encourages his readers to lean into becoming part of the story of Christ. We need to lean into living the story of love towards others.
When we look to Christ to find our identity. Not that we have our own self-esteem, but that we find ourselves in Christ. We gain Jesus-esteem. We not only see ourselves the way Jesus sees us, but we also begin to look at others through His eyes.
To be able to see others like Him. We need to be more like Him. And the only way we do that, is if we come to the realization that we all stand on the same footing with the same need for salvation at the foot of the cross.