Joshua 1:14-15 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.
Most people have no problem
focusing on others needs and well-being first; very few want to be selfish.
However, when it comes to choosing what is suitable for them, many view life
from their perspective. With followers and believers in Christ, it should be a
we and us perspective and never a me and my approach. Sadly, too many find it
convenient to focus on their needs and well-being first. When God led the
eastern tribes safely to their homeland, they were not to settle down and
forget about the rest of the people until all were in their rightful land. The
tribes of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh decided
to settle on the east side of the Jorden River, which was conquered and
occupied. They had promised to cross over the river and help the rest of the
people conquer the land west of the Jordan (Numbers 32:16-32). This same
principle still holds true in the Body of Christ today. We should never fail to
lend a hand to a brother or sister in need when God has settled our state of
being.
Philippians 2:3 Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value
others above yourselves
Selfish ambition is a worldly
trait and cultural value; it does not connect to Christian values in the least.
The quality of humility is deference towards others and not an overestimation
of ourselves and our works and deeds. An uncountable number of people today are
physically and spiritually in need. A Christian will always make a place for
others over ourselves. Spiritual maturity indicates that we are less involved
in ourselves and more concerned about others in our prayer life. Do we see the
world from the position of others? Are we sincerely concerned for those who do
not know Christ?
Philippians 2:5 In
your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
We should seek to follow the
example of Jesus, whose thought pattern was to pay a sinful debt we owed but
could not pay. If we as Christians can ever follow the example set by Jesus,
our entire being, heart, mind, spirit, body, and soul must be geared towards a
sacrificial way of life. Sacrifice is essential to unity, and we will not be
concerned so much for ourselves as we are for others. Jesus was inclined to
spend his time here on earth helping others, and consequently, He is the most
excellent example there will ever be of the epitome of lowness of mind and
care for others. Our Lord and Savion followed the most extreme rocky path of
unreserved self-sacrifice the world has ever known. Since Jesus deemed no
sacrifice too paramount, no disgrace or degradation to agonizing, we, as His
followers, should, in humility, strive to hold others up above ourselves.
Lastly, let us all ask God to bestow upon us a more gracious and generous heart
so that we will better show our love and care for someone struggling that God
might place in our path.
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