Daily Devotionals

Cherish Week 1: Friday

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:3-4


I once heard someone define the word selfless as, “thinking about yourself less.” I think that is a brilliant definition. It captures the essence of what it means to live selflessly. When you are selfless, you truly think about others more often than you think about yourself. So, as we think about strengthening the relationships in our lives and loving the people God has placed in our lives, Scripture calls us to love selflessly, considering the needs of the people around us. After all, when you cherish someone, you think about their needs and how you can serve them.

The apostle Paul instructs us to have a selfless mindset in Philippians 2. In what are some of the most beautiful words in Scripture, Paul writes, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (verses 3-4). This, my friends, is a mindset of selflessness, which is very different from what the rest of the world thinks. We are called to put others first and live selflessly in a world that tells us to look out for ourselves. Paul continues by showing us the ultimate example of selflessness. He writes, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (verse 5). Christ was humble and gave up His rights and privileges to rescue us. Christ’s humble, selfless mindset is to be our guide of how to live.

When it comes to the relationships in our lives, Scripture compels us to live selflessly. This means thinking about others before ourselves. It means putting others’ needs first. It means looking out for the people God has placed in our lives, whether that is our spouse, family member, friend, coworker, etc. What happens when we take on this mindset? We begin to be aware of the people around us. We recognize the needs that we see around us. We better care for and love the people in our lives. May we take on this mindset of Christ, who humbly and lovingly laid down His life out of obedience to God. Today make the decision to be selfless, following the example of Jesus.

Moving toward action

Reflect for a few moments on what it means to live selflessly. Go through the verses in the Going Deeper section below and write out what it means to live selflessly according to the verses and the example Christ set. Next, look up the dictionary definition of selfless. In your own words, explain what it means to be selfless. After reflecting on what it means to live selflessly, evaluate your life. What is going well when it comes to selflessly loving the people around you? What areas need improvement? What is one step that you can take this week to grow in selflessness? Commit to taking that step and ask the Lord to help you as you seek to do this.

Going Deeper

Philippians 2:1-30 (NLT)

"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

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.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.

19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. 23 I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. 24 And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon.

25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

28 So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. 29 Welcome him in the Lord’s love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. 30 For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn’t do from far away."