Victory over Selfishness
As a Christ-follower, you choose to see yourself how God sees you. You choose to see others as God sees them. You, me, and every person in this world are all created by The Designer with a unique design.
You know that thing everyone does to see who is taller? Two people stand back to back, right? And it’s determined that there is a winner. Rarely, rarely are those two people the same height. One person will be taller, one person will be shorter. One person will be excited, one person will be disappointed. One person will have victory, one will be defeated. We all strive to be the taller one, often standing up on our tippy-toes.
You also know the reality is someone is always going to be taller than us. At some point we are going to recognize our size. We may even begin to feel small.
Satisfaction can be misplaced by putting yourself in the place over another person. It’s easy to do. Society presses this idea in the form of competition, sometimes calling it “healthy competition”, and tells you to play your sport harder and be the best. There are cultural expectations and various online social platforms which show you images of the perfect hair style, the best outfit combo, and even the way to speak. You need to be the best singer in the choir to get a solo.
Do you know what God says? Check out Philippians 2:3-4, “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.”
When you follow your negative thoughts or desires and worldly ideals, letting it guide your decisions, you will be driven by self-ambition. The vicious cycle becomes this: you will find yourself drowning in the lies bombarding you. Instead of remembering you are chosen by God, your selfishness will seek to belong to a clique or the popular group or success.
We have to identify the reality of winning and losing. Winning can feel like sweet success. Losing can feel like a rejection and a feeling of less-than. Observing life, it will seem like there is someone better than you, doing something better than you, but that is for them. And it does not diminish you, what you are doing, or your identity in God. Nor does it diminish another’s persons purpose, passion, or identity in God. Stop putting yourself up against another. We are all made in the image of God. “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27).
Scripture
Philippians 2:1-11
Psalms 90:14
Prayer
God, forgive me for when I put others last. Forgive me for when I try to walk down a path that is not my own. May I be the friend to encourage and seek out authenticity in my friendships and relationships. Guide me to change my mindset to love others how you love them. Amen.
