Me Last?

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.
Philippians 2:1-4

Do you remember kindergarten? When recess time came, you always wanted to be first in line. After all, being first in line meant you would be the first on the playground. It meant you had your pick of what to do. You could get on the swings, or the slide, or the monkey bars, or the merry-go-round without having to wait. Of course, you also learned that being first in line was not always enough; you also had to be fast. But whether you were first in line or the fastest, the simple truth remains that you wanted to be first on the playground. You were looking out for yourself.

Now we’re grown up and have surely moved beyond such things. Surely we’re not in it simply for ourselves. But have we really changed that much? Look around us; we have it drilled in our heads that we need to” “look out for number one.”

Look at the slogans businesses use to get our attention”. “Have it your way,” “You deserve a break today,” “You are now free to roam around the country,” and “Just do it.” We are bombarded with this mindset: “It’s about me.” Even when we do something for someone else, we often have the ulterior motive of what we will get out of it in return.

Simply put, we are a selfish people. Something psychologists Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell talk about in their book, “The”Narcissism Epidemic.” In it, they explore the rise of narcissism in American culture. We are looking out for ourselves. So then, how are we to respond to God’s word found in Philippians 2. When Paul writes, “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,” what does it mean?

“Is he serious? Value others ahead of me? I need to look out for myself. After all, if I don’t, who will? Besides, who made me my brother’s keeper”

“Brother’s keeper.” Isn’t it funny how quickly this passage from scripture comes to people’s minds when confronted with the needs of others? Yet we forget the context of this phrase. We forget that these are the words of Cain in Genesis 4 after committing the first murder. Words that epitomize the selfishness of Cain’s heart and the selfishness of our hearts.

Things had not gone the way Cain desired, and he felt that his brother was getting preferred treatment. After all, he and his brother had both given sacrifices. Did it really matter that his brother had given his best while he did not?

Is our response really that different when things don’t go our way? Even if it is our own doing? Rather than accept responsibility we cry out, “Why is this happening to me?” “Why does everyone else get what they want”?” “What about me?”

In response, Cain took the life of his brother. If he couldn’t get his way, then he was going to make sure his brother didn’t get his way either. Now, I dare say that most of us have not taken the life of another out of such selfishness and jealousy, but are our motives any better? Do we celebrate with the success of others, or do we secretly think “Why not me?” “When is it my turn””

When God asked Cain about Abel, his response was those all too familiar words,””Am I my brother’s keeper” And so we also ask, “Is it my job to worry about everyone else””God’s answer … is yes. This is what Paul tells us in Philippians 2 when he writes,” 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.”

Think about it for a minute. A world where people aren’t worried about simply getting ahead, but meeting the needs of their neighbors. A world where we do not say, what can I get out of life, but what do others need that I can do someting about. It seems ridiculous to us. I mean, if I don’t look out for myself, who will? … God will.

He has promised to those who will put their faith in Him that He will never leave them. He has promised that He will supply all of our needs. Now don’t missunderstand. He is not saying that we do not need to do anything. Nor is ‘he promising that you will be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams. He is saying that He will provide for and meet your needs. And if God is watching out for our needs, then is it really too much to ask that we watch out for the needs of others. When you do, you may discover something pretty amazing. When we genuinely see the real needs of others and make these our concern, our selfish desires begin to seem pretty petty. We begin to see how much those around us are in need and how truly blessed we really are.

So what does it mean to put others first? There are a few passages of scripture that give an idea. James writes in chapter 1, verse 27 that pure and genuine religion is to “visit orphans and widows in their distress”” In chapter 7, verses 9 – 10 Zechariah writes that “this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says’ ‘Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor'” Jesus declared in Matthew 5:43 – 44 “You have heard the law that says, ”’Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you” Jesus drives home the point in Matthew 25:35-36, 40 he says, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Then the righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when’… And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.”

Widows, orphans, migrants, the poor, your enemies, the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned. Here we find a broad, though not exhaustive, list of those who are most needy, the most despised, the most ostracized in society. It is easy to consider the needs of those close to us, of those who are like us, but these are the ones we are reminded to remember as well. It is to these that Jesus refers when he says, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12)

This is our calling. Not to think of ourselves first but to put the needs of others ahead of ours. And not just in an attitude of selflessness, but we are called to actions of selflessness. We are to treat others the way we want to be treated. Does this mean we are not to ever take ourselves into consideration? Certainly not. But what it does means is that as much as we consider our needs, it should pale in comparison to the needs of others.

Now this may seem radical. That is because it is. You may be thinking, “How can I do that.” My recommendation is to start small. Don’t think you can change overnight. Start by talking to your neighbors. See if there is anything they need. In time, find somewhere to volunteer, somewhere to get involved. You just might find that it is not as difficult as you thought and the blessings can be beyond measure.