FYI…”The “if” clauses, being translations of first-class conditions in Greek, speak of certainties. So in this passage “if” may be translated “since.”—Walvoord
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Philippians 2:1-4
Oh Father! Help me to be like-minded with Jesus! Help me to have His impartial, sacrificial love for those around me…
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.—John 5:13
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;—Romans 12:10
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?—1 John 3:17
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.—John 3:16-17
Beloved…Be like-minded with Christ. How?
But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
This is the mindset I want. This is the Christ-like attitude that will produce joy in my heart and in my life. I don’t know about you, but sadly my fleshly inclination whenever I meet someone is to figure out how I am in some way “better” than them. Why? Because my carnal mind wants to use their “perceived” deficiencies so I can feel better about me…about my own “real” insufficiencies.
How much better it would go for me if instead, I made a practice of always looking for the good…of always seeing the ways that someone was “better” than me. I think what I would find is that there is something in everyone that I would do well to emulate. I would also realize that their presence in my life was truly a gift from God who works all things in our lives together for our good and His glory. But even better than those would be that I would begin to have and understand the unselfish mindset of Christ, who for the joy set before Him (that would be us!), endured the cross. My love for others would increase exponentially because in the searching I would be doing as it says in the next verse.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others
In order to look out for someone else’s interest and esteem them as better than me, I must get to know them by finding out those things that are important to them. As I do this, I will, by default, also learn about their joys, their sorrows and their sufferings. My compassion (not mine, but Christ’s in me) would be stirred and by His Spirit, my heart would want to bear their burdens with them. AND THAT is a beautiful picture of what Christ does for me and for you as believers each and every day.
Beloved…humility brings unity… be like-minded with Christ and bring unity.
