Be Like Christ - Philippians 2:1-8

 
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 a cross.

The Apostle Paul often wrote about interpersonal relations. He was starting the Gentile church and wanted to undo their ingrained way of thinking, that of lashing out when someone offended them. This affects us even today. How hard it is for us to let it go when someone is rude to us. How hard it is to "turn the other cheek".

Paul says in Rom 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". In Philippians chapter 2, Paul exhorts us to consider others more important than ourselves. He uses the ultimate example of Christ's love for us to be applied in our interpersonal relationships. Our Lord Jesus Christ existed in the very form of God, but He willingly set that aside and became a frail human like us. He would have been well within His rights to look down upon us and say, "Well, I told you not to eat that apple. You are on your own!" The wonder of it is that He didn't do that! Praise God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. For a short while He gave up His right to be The Great I Am. In order to ransom us, He was obedient to the Father to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Now, when we consider the way Christ considered us as more important than Himself, how much more should we consider others in our own family, at work, and on the roads while we are driving as more important than ourselves? This is a powerful witness and it demonstrates the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.