Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3-4
“I just want to say can’t we all get along?” These are the words spoken by Rodney King as the LA Riots raged back in the early 90s. Having been caught and then violently beaten by police after a high-speed chase, the video set off a ripple effect that changed people’s lives and our nation in an instant.
This same ripple effect is exactly what Paul is working to curb with the church in Philippi and frankly, many leaders are working to stop today. Given enough time and interaction, we inevitably find the differences in the way we see and move in the world and the resulting pain points. There is no greater example of this than the common sibling relationship. It’s referred to as “button pushing” in many families and it happens all the time.
The worrisome question is how will we respond. More often than not it isn’t good. Division, anger, malice, and many more words show up in these moments. Unity is under attack when this virus works its way into our communities.
So what do we do? The solution is to adhere to Paul’s words above. It all starts with our perspective on God, ourselves, and others around us, then things begin to change. It creates room for understanding, grace, and forgiveness. In short, it keeps the group together and on a mission – something Paul longed for the church in Philippi more than anything else.
Questions for reflection:
- Recall a situation where you and/or a group of people struggled to get along. What was at the root of it?
- Sometimes well-meaning people read the Scripture above and put 100% of their needs/interests aside. Why do you think Paul includes the phrase “Not only your interests but the interests of others…” in the text?
- How does the Gospel come to change the way we think about others who are having a negative impact on our attitude?