I was having a conversation with a couple the other day. They had the opportunity to foster a relative for more than a year. They made the following confession, “We didn’t realize how selfish we were.” Now, as a pastor listening to their story, they were anything but selfish. They opened their home to a child in need. An adult now, she’s much better off for the care and fostering she received. That’s putting others first.

But I understand what they meant. Few things like relationships (marriage and parenting) reveal how selfish we are. We all have a tendency to function from a very selfish perspective. Let me explain by offering a confession of my own.

I’m a selfish person. I can be irritable if I don’t get enough sleep, grumpy if I haven’t had coffee yet, and angry when I feel ignored. I always know how I feel, what I want, and how I think about things. I can get lost in my own head and controlled by my feelings, disappointments, and frustrations. By nature, I put myself first very often.

I venture a guess many of you reading the preceding paragraph could make a similar confession.

What our selfish souls need is to be transformed. Paul described God’s intention for us in Philippians 2.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-11 (emphasis mine)

Paul identifies the ways God addresses selfishness in us. Humility is thinking less of ourselves. Pride thinks of self all the time (like my confession above). Humility “counts others as more significant,” serving them. Adopting Christ’s mind–growing in Christlikeness from the previous Journey Outcome–is aimed at transforming us from selfishness to selflessness. This text teaches that Jesus is both our example and our Savior. He exemplifies putting others first.

Jesus is our example. He modeled humility, selflessness, and serving others. If we want to follow Jesus and become Christlike, we must embrace his character and conduct. Paul says we can have the mind of Christ because it is ours. God commands what he makes possible in us. But there is a problem. We’re naturally selfish (the confession above). Our selfishness (sinfulness) is why we need a Savior.

Jesus is our Savior. Jesus took on human flesh and served humanity through his sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus did not merely model putting others first; he put us first so we could be saved. Jesus went to the cross because we are incapable of fixing our own selfishness. He paid the price so we could be forgiven and transformed. He saves and sanctifies. He forgives and transforms.

By receiving Christ as Savior, we can follow him as our example. This journey outcome is about applying and practicing what we learn and see in Jesus Christ.

Journey Outcome #7 – Put others first by serving.

When we serve others, we put them first. Embracing Jesus’ model simply means to consider the interests and needs of others ahead of our own. Following are four areas where we can begin to put others first.

• Serve at home. Putting others first should begin with those closest to us. If we only serve publicly, we’re in danger of being like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day where our righteousness is optics. Homes necessitate chores and responsibilities. It is possible to do those chores with complaint and resentment as we compare who does what. Serving to make a point or out of resentment is not serving out of love or with the mind of Christ. However, we can also do those chores and responsibilities with a humble attitude. When we do those things as a means of putting family members first, we’re embracing the model of Jesus. Ask God through Christ to give you strength and grace to serve those closest to you.
• Serve at church. Putting others first continues at church. The body of Christ is to be a one another focused people. Paul’s admonition above was for a local congregation as it interacted with each other. Our mission at Wilkesboro Baptist includes serving others through the church. Following Jesus requires serving one another. If everyone at a church finds a place to serve, then we won’t burn out servants and leaders. Let us know if we can help you find a place to serve.
• Serve your neighbors. Putting others first continues in our community and neighborhoods by showing hospitality, inviting people into your home, helping a neighbor with a project, or serving with mission partners in the community. Christ called his church to love others. One of the most effective means of sharing the gospel with unbelievers is to connect with them through serving.
• Serve the nations. Revelation 5 and 7 reveal heaven to be filled with people from every tribe, tongue, people, and language. The Great Commission (repeated in all four Gospels and the book of Acts) charges followers of Jesus to take the gospel to the nations. Go on a mission trip. Give to an international mission partner. Pray for unreached people groups. Think beyond your circle of influence and recognize that God wants to send us to the peoples of the world so they can be represented in heaven.

How can you put others first? Don’t wait. Serve someone else today.

Photo by Elianna Gill on Unsplash