Watch out for Selfishness & Pride // Philippians 2:13

The two operative phrases in today’s verse deserve a little attention. When the Apostle Paul wrote those words, he was doing so in comparison to Jesus and how He saw Himself in relation to the world. Though Jesus had all the rights to force us to bow down and worship Him, He rather came to show us that the way to God is through humility, service, and sacrifice. So, when Paul wrote about not doing anything out of selfish ambition, he was referring to our tendency to elevate our own concerns over those of another. Then, considering vain conceit, he is cautioning against an incorrect sense of self in relation to others. Therefore, doing nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit means not letting our actions be motivated by selfishness or pride. Looking back at the way Paul described Jesus calls us o consider others’ needs before our own and seek out ways get into, and stay in, a sense of unity. This does not mean that we are all alike, but what it does call us to is a shared sense of purpose. Jesus exhibited this in service and sacrifice, setting up a model for you and me to follow. We must watch out for selfishness and pride, which is something every single one of us is prone to do. Let Jesus be your model and guide, trusting Him to work out the things for our benefit since the Bible promises this is precisely what He longs to do.