Philippians 2:3 - 4

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3 – 4 ESV). Our verses are from a section titled, “Christ’s Example of Humility” in the ESV translation. The Son of God came to earth, taking on human flesh through a virgin birth, and became the man we know as Jesus. He did not take pride in the fact that he was the Son of God, but instead he took on the form of a servant and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. From that context, our verses have significant application for us.

The two verses form a parallel in which each begins with what we are not to do and ends with what we are to do. Verse 3 begins with “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit” and verse 4 begins with “Let each of you look not only to his own interests. In verse 3 we are “in humility count others more significant than yourselves” and in verse 4 we are “to [also] look out for the interests of others. Jesus did not come simply to have fellowship with us and teach us about God, but came to suffer and die to purchase our salvation. Likewise, we are to be on the lookout for the needs of others and if possible help meet those needs, even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

Prayer

Father, the western culture has become very self-centered where life is all about us. This self-centeredness has even infected the church to where we fail to meet the needs of others as we should, especially our brothers and sisters in countries of persecution and poverty. If we really embraced these verses, we would not have a credit card debt, would have a few less things, probably a smaller home and a less expensive car, and would give at least 10% of our gross income to the Lord’s work. We would probably spend much more time studying the word and living out “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NIV). Father, forgive us for we fall short in living out these verses as we should. 

Philippians 2:3-4 The Bridge Builder

Nearly 50 years ago I attended an IBM conference to learn the latest about current technology that related to my career. The last speaker closed the conference with the following poem. I requested a copy and have kept it ever since. As you read the poem, look at the picture and as you see the person walking across the bridge, think about the old man who stopped and built the bridge so those who followed him had an easy way to get across. What bridges are you and I building that help people following us cross over into heaven?

The Bridge Builder 

An old man going a lone highway
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and wide and steep,
With waters rolling cold and deep.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting your strength with building here.
Your journey will end with the passing day,
You never again will pass this way.
You’ve crossed the chasm deep and wide,
Why build you this bridge at eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head,
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
The chasm that was as nought to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He too, must cross in the twilight dim –
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”

Prayer 

Father, like this old man, I pray I will use my time building bridges so that those who will live after I am gone will have a closer walk with the Lord, a greater understanding of the Word, and a stronger stand in the face of suffering. Father, I pray that daily I will die to self to allow Jesus to live in and through me to build those bridges for others who follow.