Therefore
if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love,
if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make
my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in
spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing
from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another
as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal
interests, but also for the interests of others.
Have
this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He
existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made
in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even
death on the cross.
For
this reason also, God highly exalted Him, bestowed on Him the name which is
above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those
who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians
2:1-10
I
had a friend who was good hearted and would do almost anything to help anyone,
but he was a bit of a blowhard. He was
not a big shot, but he acted like one.
This put many people off and limited his ability to serve God.
Everybody
wants to feel important, and if we hog all the glory, it diminishes people’s
ability to see that we do what we do not for ourselves but because we love God
and want to share His love with them.
I
think this is why the Apostle Paul encourages us to be humble, like Jesus, and give God the glory.