⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

⁶ Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
⁷ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
⁸     he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8

Dear God, it can be hard to figure out how to draw the line between doing things for others and doing things for myself. And I’ll confess that when it comes to that line, I walk much more on the doing for myself side of it than doing for others.

I’m thinking about that because of Paul’s admonishment here to basically take Jesus’s attitude of giving it all up for others. I had someone tell me yesterday that I give so much for people, but do I really? I have my nice little car. I have my comfortable, albeit modest by “middle class” standards, home. I live in a pretty comfortable little world. Yes, I give quite a bit of money away for someone at my income level, and I even give sacrificially, but am I really open to truly sacrificing comfort for your kingdom to come into the world through me?

Holy Spirit, please teach me. Oh, those are dangerous words. In fact, I regret typing them, but it is too late now. Teach me what you need me to know. Teach me what you need me to do. Bring the Father’s love for me in such a way that I realize it anew and then take it and reflect it to the world around me. I’m not saying that you’re even calling me to do more than I’m currently doing, but, if you are, please give me ears to hear and eyes to see.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen