Put Others Above Yourself
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. -- Philippians 2:3-4
I’m fairly certain that the Apostle Paul wasn’t referring to television programming when he wrote this bit of wise advice in Philippians. Nevertheless, it surely does apply in our present world.
The other day our state experienced severe weather. Tornadoes, strong winds, hail. Well, you get the picture. One station preempted regular programming in order to stay focused on weather coverage. In the midst of telling people to get to their safe places and warning of funnel cloud sightings, the chief meteorologist had to tell people not to call the station and complain about their soap opera being preempted. Seriously?!
Let’s see if I get this: People’s lives are in danger and the meteorologists are staying on air in an effort to keep people informed. Other folks -- presumably not impacted by the weather at that moment -- complained about a soap opera. Where are their priorities? With themselves. It is just the worst kind of selfishness.
When did we become so self-focused that we have stopped caring about other people? It’s not the only time I’ve witnessed this type of thing but it still just makes me so angry.
Years ago I saw a four-year-old boy hysterically running through a mall. He’d lost his parents. I found out later that he’d run the entire length of the mall. No one helped him. No one. Including all those parents with their own children in tow. When I knelt down and opened my arms, he ran straight to me. A store employee called security and he was soon reunited with his parents. But the callousness, that notion that we somehow don’t have an obligation to help, left a sick feeling deep inside of me.
As God’s people, we weren’t called to sit on the sidelines and focus on ourselves. We are to focus on what is good and right, what is noble and admirable. That means sometimes giving up something we enjoy so that someone else can have information that can keep them safe. It means taking time to help a child and keep him safe. Selfishness has no place in the kingdom of God.
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