Discovering the joy of other people’s blessings …
I love how the Holy Spirit works, even through Twitter!
This morning I received a tweet from a friend sent to a group of guys, including myself, that stated, “Wishing you all a blessed week!”
That tweet was followed with a response from one of the guys that read, “Wishing y’all a blesseder week!” to which I replied, “… and the most blessed week just for you!”
While I was enjoying the good-natured humor, it struck me as I sent my tweet how our sincere banter was straight out of God’s playbook. Check out these verses:
“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other,” Romans 12:10.
“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves,” Philippians 2:3.
The Apostle Paul, who wrote both those lines, gives a little insight as to why we’re encouraged in such a way with the next verse in Philippians 2, now verse 4:
“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”
Before we became Christians, our existence was selfishly-based. It’s easy to get wrapped up in yourself, even to the exclusion of others. That sometimes is a hard habit for God’s children to break. But at the heart of the call to follow Christ is the necessity to give up our selfish focus. Jesus said it this way:
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me’,” Matthew 16:24.
A significant change we experience in becoming the adopted children of God is learning to see people the same way Christ does. Paul says it this way in the next verse of Philippians 2, now verse 5:
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
Jesus gave such preference to others that He gave up everything, including His life, for our benefit. It’s an incredible thing to know that God takes such great delight looking after our best interests.
That’s how we should be with one another: caring for the best for others and finding genuine delight in their being blessed. It should be a joyful thing for us when a brother or sister in Christ (or a different local church body) is blessed, regardless of our own current circumstances.
How are you giving preference to others over yourself? How do you exhibit toward others the same attitude Jesus displayed?
Scotty
July 11, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Scotty! Great post! Let's keep the blessings moving in big circles till things get blesseder and blesseder!
July 11, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Thanks bro … amen!
July 11, 2011 at 7:06 pm
"That's how we should be with one another: caring for the best for others and finding genuine delight in their being blessed. It should be a joyful thing for us when a brother or sister in Christ (or a different local church body) is blessed, regardless of our own current circumstances."
So easily said and sometimes so hard to do when walking through tough times yourself. But when I finally broke through to that point, it was so joyful and freeing.
July 11, 2011 at 7:12 pm
Amen! Glad to hear you experienced that break-through bro!
July 12, 2011 at 3:23 am
Well said, Scotty! Romans 12:10 was part of my sermon on Sunday, which revolved around John 13:35 – "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
It's something that God has really been impressing on me lately. It's not always easy or comfortable, bit it's so worth it!
July 12, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Amen Larry! I think this characteristic deepens, becomes more natural the longer and deeper our walk with God.