One....
Philip. 2:1-4 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. [4] Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
If you are united in Christ with your brothers and sisters then there should be no room for conflict with them of any sort.
Great and wonderful in theory, but in practice much harder….
Let’s be honest, anytime you get groups of people together there is always conflict, eventually. I watch what happens when my friends and family gather, even for social events, and there can be some pretty heated disagreements about what we should be doing…. Imagine the potential for real division when something important is up for discussion, imagine what could happen in the Church when it is making decisions about some of the most important tasks imaginable. When you feel right about an issue, when you are passionate about the cause and when you encounter someone who feels just as right and just as passionate, but has a different way of doing things then watch out! Sparks can fly!
Paul is aware of this and he wants us to be united, by having the same mind, same love, being one in spirit and purpose. And he points barriers to this; selfish ambition and vain conceit….
Ambition can be good, it drives us to achieve. We should be ambitious for God, to see his kingdom advance forward and to be involved in his work. But when we start to think of our position, our ego, how we are viewed and respected by others, when we think of the kudos and the honour and even glory we can accrue then it is vanity and self-centred, the puffing up of pride, the competition to be seen as better than others intensifies.
But out of love we should glorify Jesus in what we do and love others. For it is only by consistently showing love to others, and being in a community where the needs of all and the worship of Jesus is central that we can be unified and of one Spirit.
When you serve the Lord be careful to check your ego and at the door, and don’t collect it on the way out.
If you are united in Christ with your brothers and sisters then there should be no room for conflict with them of any sort.
Great and wonderful in theory, but in practice much harder….
Let’s be honest, anytime you get groups of people together there is always conflict, eventually. I watch what happens when my friends and family gather, even for social events, and there can be some pretty heated disagreements about what we should be doing…. Imagine the potential for real division when something important is up for discussion, imagine what could happen in the Church when it is making decisions about some of the most important tasks imaginable. When you feel right about an issue, when you are passionate about the cause and when you encounter someone who feels just as right and just as passionate, but has a different way of doing things then watch out! Sparks can fly!
Paul is aware of this and he wants us to be united, by having the same mind, same love, being one in spirit and purpose. And he points barriers to this; selfish ambition and vain conceit….
Ambition can be good, it drives us to achieve. We should be ambitious for God, to see his kingdom advance forward and to be involved in his work. But when we start to think of our position, our ego, how we are viewed and respected by others, when we think of the kudos and the honour and even glory we can accrue then it is vanity and self-centred, the puffing up of pride, the competition to be seen as better than others intensifies.
But out of love we should glorify Jesus in what we do and love others. For it is only by consistently showing love to others, and being in a community where the needs of all and the worship of Jesus is central that we can be unified and of one Spirit.
When you serve the Lord be careful to check your ego and at the door, and don’t collect it on the way out.
posted by Gordon at
8:05 am
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