By Audrey Bauman

Philippians 2: 3 - 4  NLT

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Difficult verses to start the week off! Often I see Monday as recovery from the busyness of the weekend. However, I want you to take some time to think about each of the statements in those verses. Are you selfish? How much do you try to impress others? Are you humble? Do you honestly think that many other people are better than you? If you look at the time you spend each day/week, how much time is given to your jobs and interests? How much time to help or even take an interest in others?

Did you stop and really think about those questions?

Today, I'm going to try and answer those questions and try to be honest with you. Am I selfish? I don't think so; at least, I'm willing to help others and give them some things they might need. But, would I give someone something I really liked and wanted to keep??? Probably not. I do spend a lot of my time and energy doing things for my family. I enjoy spending time with my friends, but that's really something pleasant for me. Have I ever spent time helping others? Yes, there have been times in my life where I've spent a lot of time helping others, but if I put it in context with the rest of my life, it's really a small percentage of my time. I don't want to say I'm selfish - that sounds so awful. But I do tend to put my own interests first most of the time.

Do I try to impress others? Am I humble? I do like to make a good impression; I want people to like me and think I'm a good person.  I'm careful about what I say to people, and what I do. I don't want to make a bad impressions. I do meet a lot of people who I think are better than me. There are people who are smarter, more creative, more athletic ... lots of people who do things much better than me. But in the back of my mind, I also tend to think that there are people who are not quite as smart or good as I am. So, I feel better. That doesn't sound like humility.

Do I focus on my own interests? I spend the greater part of my days doing what I need to do to keep my life going well, and I relax with things I enjoy. I'm interested in others, but for what percentage of my time? I have to admit, I enjoy time with others who like the same things I do.

Paul started this chapter asking us to love one another, to work together within the body of Christ. If you're like me, you probably agreed when you read those verses on Friday, that working together in harmony with the people in your church was something you wanted to do. But then Paul gives us the instructions we read today about what might hinder that love and cooperation in a local church. How much of our lives are spent totally on our own interests?

I hope thinking about the questions Paul asked us today will make each of us think about the changes we need to make in our own lives. It sure made me think as I tried to be honest with you. How much of my time is spent on myself? How much am I a servant of God wanting to follow where he leads me?

Our song for today is Unending Love by Hillsong Worship.