Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:1-8
I’ve always loved this passage. It’s so counter to what we learn in our individualistic society. We’re taught to stand out from the crowd and to pursue our dreams and desires. Paul tells believers to follow Christ’s example by looking to others’ interests, serving, and acknowledging our humanity and fallibility. The counterintuitive nature of Paul’s teaching seems ironic: He tells us that humans thrive best in community when they lay aside their cultural conditioning and put others’ ahead of themselves. That irony has always appealed to me.
I have been drawn to Paul’s message in Philippians 1, but years of trying to live it out left me burned out and frustrated. Church had become another part of my life where I was serving and giving to the point of exhaustion. I’d feel compelled to continue serving but was just going through the motions. I wasn’t healthy and felt like I was checking boxes, not becoming more connected to Christian community. I continue to agree that believers will flourish in communities where service and humility are central, but my frustration made me step back and rethink what Paul is directing us to do. I hope my experience can help others who struggle with putting these words into practice.
On your marks, get set, go!
Hebrews 12:1 compares the Christian life to running a race. That metaphor can help us understand this passage. It’s common to think that training and perseverance are the most important characteristics of racing successfully. However, we often forget the importance of the starting line. A runner must start at the correct place in order to run a race successfully. In the same way, It’s easy to dismiss the first verses of this chapter, but we need to pay attention to our starting point. Paul is telling us service and humility result from being filled with Christ’s encouragement, love, tenderness, and compassion. The metaphor isn’t a complete match because life requires growth and time and it’s much more complicated than running a race. We need to be filled up with Christ’s blessings, course-correct often and continue to be filled up as we serve.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2
Over time I’ve realized that, when I tried to live out Paul’s words, I’ve too often skipped being rooted in Christ. My starting place has been what I learned growing up, which was reacting to others’ needs and serving them without taking care of myself. I didn’t think much of myself and my interpretation of this passage and others like it made me even more self-effacing and downtrodden. There was a season in my life when helping with childcare and hospitality at church was a good fit. Because of a lack of boundaries and sense of duty, I kept volunteering in these areas after that season had ended. I was not being extra faithful. I had not been transformed by Paul’s words. I was living a life of unhappy codependence.
I’m so thankful that, through my frustrations and failures, God has shown me that my well being and my talents matter. I’ve learned that living a life of service and humility that starts, continues, and ends in Him is good. Covid forced me to step back and take a break from service ministries that I had felt obligated to continue in. That pause gave me the space to do something new, and I joined the daily devotional team. Writing is so gratifying and I learn every time I write a new piece. I’m no longer ruled by what I see as the most pressing needs of others. I’m being my best self and using my gifts. In Christ I can flourish and contribute to the flourishing of our church fellowship at the same time.
Application
Read through this passage (Phllipians 2:1-8). What comes to mind? What stands out? Have you tried to live the kind of life that Paul describes? Has it brought you a closer and more fulfilling life in Christian community? Or have you become lonely, marginalized, and exhausted? Here are some resources I’ve found helpful in understanding my tendency toward codependence. Pray that God directs you as you meditate on serving with humility in the church.
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/codependency
https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/identity-issues
by Sherry Sommer
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