Philipians 2:3 - Consider Others Better Than You

<sup>Some days I act like an Un-Christlike idiot.

I don't act very much like Jesus sometimes.

I read this today:

3</sup> Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Recently I had a time when I felt someone was criticizing me. And I felt their motive was impure for it. So I responded with my own criticism of them.

Turns out that I was wrong. Their motives WERE pure. But I did two things wrong.

1. I judged their heart without really knowing their heart. (Judge not, lest ye be judged)

2. I broke the golden rule (Do unto others as you would have done unto you) by responding with a retaliation. Would Christ have responded like this? Nah.

I made myself look like a petty fool in front of this person.

So the verse: "Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..." Is designed not only to protect the people around you from YOUR wrath; but it's designed to protect YOU from looking like an Un-Christlike idiot.

You'll never come off looking bad when you treat others as better than yourself...even in those instances when you're pretty sure that you're the one who's right.