THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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An incident well worth noting is told of General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate officer during the American Civil War. Jefferson Davis once asked him what he thought of a certain officer in the army, as he had an important place he wanted filled by a trustworthy man. Lee gave the officer an excellent recommendation, and he was immediately promoted to the position.
Some of Lee's friends told him that the officer had said some very bitter things against him, and were surprised at the General's recommendation.
"I was not asked," said Lee, "for the officer's opinion of me, but my opinion of him."
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Phil 2:3-4
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
KJV
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Sometimes it's very hard to maintain "lowliness of mind" when others say unkind and unjustified things about us. But our Lord gave us the model of holding others in high esteem; considering them worthy of preferential treatment.
"Strife" and "vainglory" are enemies of the church! They cause dissension and separtism. Strife is contention; and vainglory is self-ambition, or self-conceit.
Often, the competitive nature of the world causes people to develop "me-ism." However, the world is not supposed to affect the church; rather, the church is supposed to affect the world.
Jesus laid aside His robe and washed the disciples' feet! He also said, "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all." (Mark 10:44)
We are admonished not to put self in the middle circle and "Look not every man on his own things." Instead, we are to "Look .. every man .. also on the things of others."
In Christians, humility should overshadow conceitedness, and thoughtfulness of others should overshadow selfish ambition.
Our Scripture passage today (Philippians 2:3-4) is an introductory statement of the kenosis passage, which shows how Jesus, our Lord, emptied Himself and sought no worldly fame. Jesus, though He is God, came to serve and die for us!
That passage is worthy of our reading and application to ourselves.
Phil 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Love ya,
Bruce