Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:3-11 (NLT)
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Reflection:
Here is the hardest part, and Jesus shows us how. In Gethsemane He prayed in anguish, "not my will, but yours." Then He walked to a cross for the very people who would mistreat Him. Paul says to have the same attitude. That means yielding your rights, your way, and your need to be right.
Yielding is very difficult to do! And honestly, we all want our own way.
Humility doesn't mean you stop feeling hurt. It means you stop letting hurt run your life. Relationships matter more than winning, whether it is a church disagreement or a family quarrel. You can't control the other person. You can only control you. Ask Jesus today to give you His heart toward someone difficult. Release one right you've been gripping, and let peace take its place.
Application Question: What right or preference are you gripping tightly, and what would it cost you to yield it the way Jesus did?
