Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – Philippians 2:3-4 – Interests Of Others – Growing As Disciples
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 (NIV)
Look Out
What is guiding the pursuits of your life? What is worthy of your pursuit? How do you want to invest your life? Are you pursuing selfish ambitions and vain conceits? Will you one day regret what you have spent your life pursuing? Will your life amount to anything of value when you reach its end? I’m not sure how to answer these questions. How will I know if I have wisely invested my life in what will be of value? Look at me. How did I invest my life? Where did I go? What did I do? Do you think I have any regrets about how I spent my life? You certainly have no reason to regret how you spent your life. You invested your life in others. You humbly took on the form of a servant. You counted others as better than yourself. You gave yourself in service to others. How did I do that? How did I even know how to go about meeting the needs of others? You listened carefully. You watched closely. What do you mean by that? You weren’t blinded by looking out for your own interests. You listened carefully and watched closely to what your Heavenly Father showed and said to you. Your eyes and ears were open to hear and see what He wanted to do through your life. That’s right. What else? You listened carefully and watched closely to what others were saying and doing. You looked out and paid attention to their needs. Why was I able to do that? You were not focused on yourself. You weren’t consumed with trying to meet your own needs. It sounds like you have some experience in this regard. Yes, I must confess that I have been so focused on trying to meet my own needs that I have been unable to hear and see much about the needs of others. So, you have been very good about meeting your own needs and not very good about meeting the needs of others? Sadly, I would have to admit that is true. Do you want to serve others? Would you be willing to lay down your own interests so you can humbly go and serve others? Lord, I want to follow your example. I want to live like you lived. I want to love like you loved. I want to serve like you served. I will stop pursuing selfish ambitions and vain conceits. I will humble myself. I will consider others as better than myself. I will stop looking out solely for my interests. I will look to the interests of others so I can know and go meet their needs. That will be very good.
Lord, I am sorry to say I have proudly thought I was better than others. I have selfishly looked solely to my own interests. Forgive me. I will humbly consider others as better than myself. I will look to the interests of others to see how I can help meet their needs. Amen
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Character – Philippians 2-3-4 – Interests Of Others – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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