Selfishness

2:3 Do nothing from selfishness...

In verse three Paul continues his exhortation that the Philippians love one another in light of the magnificent love of God.

The word translated "selfishness" here (some translate it "selfish ambition") really has the idea of rivalry behind it. It is the same word Paul used to describe the motives of some who were preaching the word out of spite while he was in chains (1:17). It has the idea of pulling others down in order to get yourself ahead.

Most likely, in the midst of a time of persecution for the Christians in Philippi, some had resorted to this sin of self-promotion, jealousy and glory-seeking. Paul is now gently and lovingly urging them to abandon this posture and assume the posture of Christ, who came as a servant of others.

It is a part of our sinful nature that we want to be better than everybody else. It is pride. Pride is essentially competitive at its heart. We want to be above the next guy. And when one person is trying to put himself above everyone else, it stirs up the pride in the others, and rivalry begins. It might be rivalry about getting attention or having the nicest house or clothes, or it might be rivalry about who is the most godly and pure. In Rome, the rivalry was over preaching the gospel. In Philippi it had to do with persecution. When people are thinking of self, they will fight about ANYTHING!

And even in the family of God’s love, as soon as one person becomes self-oriented, it generally causes the others to do the same.

Proud men make others proud. It takes a humble man to humble men.

The most common conflict in human experience is not one idea against another, or one race or class against another. It is one pride against another. It is so natural for us to think "me" instead of thinking "you". But God doesn’t want us to live this way. He calls us not to promote ourselves but to humble ourselves for the sake of others, just as Jesus did not live for Himself, but gave His life for us.

Lord Jesus, take over my life today. I feel this almost irresistible impulse to put myself forward, to seek my own interests, to assert my own rights. How I love being esteemed and exalted over the rest. How I love to think of myself as superior. How many times I have directed a conversation to my own praise, even by harping on the failures of others! I am such a proud man, so prone to put myself before others. And when I am called to sacrifice my own interests, I tend to resent it. But that’s not how I want to live. I really do want to live the way You lived. I really do want to spend my life for the sake of others. Forgive my sin, O Lord, and fill me with Your Spirit. Move me to joyfully pour out my life for others as a thank offering to You.