NOT LOOKING OUT FOR NUMBER ONE

Lord, help me see beyond my needs

and for the needs of others intercede.

Let me see myself as saved by grace,

unworthy to even enter the race,

but because of Christ given power to run.

As I press on let me show your love to each one.

Make my sole ambition to walk with you,

to see each day with hope renewed.

May your Spirit within me reach out to others,

to the lost as well as my sisters and brothers.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests,

 but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

hupĕrĕchō⁵²⁴² – to hold oneself above, i.e. (fig.) to excel; part. (as adj., nor neut. as noun) superior, superiority: - better, excellency, higher, pass, supreme.

            So much for the advice to “look out for number one.” The world’s way is “dog eat dog” and “every man for himself.”  But that is never the way of our Lord. Our main purpose is to live for him. Our main goals should be tied to serving God and, therefore, serving his people. Ambition is not bad. It’s just important to examine the driving force behind your plans. The Lord tells us to serve our earthly bosses wholeheartedly, so earning a higher level degree in the field God has called you to (teaching, engineering, science) can be an unselfish ambition.

            Not only are we to refrain from being “me first” in our thinking, but we are to actually think more highly of others than we do ourselves. “What about a healthy self-esteem,” you may ask. I believe we need to have a healthy Christ-esteem. In other words, in my own flesh and my own power, I’m basically lower than a worm. However, when the Holy Spirit comes to live in me, I have the ability to allow Christ to shine through me. It is not me that is worthy, but Christ who lives within me (Galatians 2:20). This will also enable me to see others as Christ sees them. They are either lost and in need of a Savior, which means I need to be a positive witness to them. Or they are saved and in need of a sister (or brother) to encourage them along the way. Either way, I must consider their needs as much or more than I consider my own. As I realize that everything I have is from God, I can live unselfishly sharing my time, energy, and means with others.

            Father, help me to live the once popular acronym J-O-Y: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Joy comes from obedience to you, and your word clearly teaches me to reach out to others in your name. Strengthen me to serve you by serving others.