Oct 13, 2022
Look to His Interest
13th OCTOBER 2022
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:4-7 ESV
The selfless nature of our faith and the gospel of Christ which we preach is evident for all to see. The fact that some of us have not been able to come to the full realisation of this selflessness doesn’t mean Christianity is for self-centred people. The mind that made a son decide to honour his father’s desire to the point of death cannot be deemed selfish.
From our verse for today, we are admonished to focus on our interests and things that concern us. Doing that is needful for our growth and development and helps us to evaluate our experiences and learn to become better people for the kingdom agenda. However, focusing on ourselves and our interests is not good enough. A much better approach is to focus on ourselves and others. Others are important in everything we do as believers. Consider some people who have done great things in this life, and you will see how their focus on themselves and others, has been essential to their success.
Although the verses draw our attention to focusing on ourselves and others, we would like to make an inference. If focusing on others is important, how much more is God? As followers of Jesus, we cannot live life with no focus on the interests of the Father. According to the Bible, Jesus, even in his equality with God, didn’t ignore God but humbled himself in a way that allows him to focus on the interest of God. Have you seen a servant and a master before? You would realise that all the actions of the servant are to please the will of the master, that’s the key Jesus used. By becoming a servant, he could look up to the master.
We have come to learn that God has his interest set on saving all men. He does not want any to perish. If we do not know any of his interests that we can focus on, at least we know this one. Do not be caught up in the scheme of this world as it projects being selfishly self-centred. Focus on the interests of the people around you and contribute to their success. Be that servant who empties him/herself for the interest of the master. Remember, as a believer, this mind of focusing on the interests of others, including God, is yours just as everything the resurrection of Jesus made yours.
Heavenly Father, please help me to empty myself for Your agenda. Help me to consider the welfare of others in my daily activities. Help me to be interested in the things You are interested in, and enlighten my heart to see the depths of Your love for others, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:22–26
Bible In One Year: Romans [7–10]
