Philippians 2:3-4
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3-4)
We’ve all been there… standing in the checkout line, scanning the lanes like a seasoned race car driver, calculating who has fewer items, which cashier looks quicker, which bagger is moving faster, and whether that guy in front of you has coupons (you know he does). It’s funny how something as ordinary as grocery shopping reveals something deeply human about us… We all want to get ahead, to be first! We want a shorter wait, a smoother path, a little advantage.
And honestly? Most of the time, we don’t even realize we’re doing it.
The words above from Paul’s letter to the Philippians hit right at that instinct. He isn’t calling us to think less of ourselves. He’s calling us to think of ourselves less! It’s the quiet shift from “How can I get ahead?” to “How can I bless someone else today (even if it means that I may have to slow down to do it)?”
Back in the checkout line, something beautiful happens when someone turns around and says, “Hey, you’ve only got a couple of things, go ahead of me.” Have you ever been the recipient of that beautiful act of selflessness? That tiny little act of kindness has the power to disrupt the culture of competition that is ingrained in us.
That’s what humility does. It interrupts the natural pull of self-interest and creates space for community to flourish.
Paul says to “look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Notice he doesn’t say your interests don’t matter. He knows that you have to look out for your own interests in many areas of life, but he encourages us to avoid an “only me” mentality and reminds us that other people have interests too. If we’re going to be people who are of the same mind and same love of Jesus, then we must take our eyes off ourselves.
Jesus lived this way. He consistently moved toward the forgotten, lifted up the overlooked, and put himself last so others could be brought near. His path leads us away from competition and toward compassion. Away from grasping for position and toward giving up our place in line.
So maybe the invitation today is simple: What if you lived a “go-ahead” type of life? What if you entered your meetings, friendships, family dynamics, or church spaces asking, “Who can I let go ahead of me?”
Josh Rose
Family Pastor