Early in ministry, I worked with someone that no matter what I asked, no matter how many favors I did for him, no matter the need I or someone else had, he had one stock answer:
“I’d really like to, but I just can’t.”
It wasn’t just a time or two. And it wasn’t just me. Others would also say he was not a team player.
It was at that time, I came across Philippians 2 and committed it to memory: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others,” Philippians 2:4.
It’s not just this verse but it’s all over chapter 2. It is a great “team-building” chapter to memorize, especially in the work of the church.
The chapter begins, “Therefore, if there is…” and here Paul lists five things that should bind us together as a church. You will have to look them up for yourself. Go ahead, get your Bible, I’ll wait.
Got your Bible? As I was saying (or writing, er, typing), those five encouragements lead to three dependencies, beginning and ending with our mindset, the others being our heart and our actions.
“being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, (being) of one mind.” And then here is the kicker: “in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself.”
That couldn’t be right. I’m okay with “but also look out for the interests of others,” but esteem others better than myself? I looked up the word in Greek, and sure enough Paul used the same word three times in the same letter. It means “others as more supreme”. The word is “hyper-echo” with the implication that you have to say it and hear it over and over again: “esteem others higher, esteem others higher.”
As if that wasn’t enough, if you still have your Bibles open, keep reading: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” Yep, he did it. He played the Christ-card. Three times in verses 2 and 3, Paul talks about mind-set, and then he mentions our mind-set should be like Christ’s.
Paul talks a lot about being one-minded. Look back at Philippians 1:27. Being one-minded makes our conduct “worthy of the gospel.” Why? Because that was the mind-set of Jesus. That was the prayer of Jesus (remember John 17:22, “may they be one, just as We are one…”)
Look also at Philippians 2:15, “…have this mind, and if in anything you think otherwise…” and then in 2:16, “let us be of the same mind.”
I’m seeing a pattern here. If you don’t see it, look once more, now at verse 20: “for I have no one more like-minded,” than Timothy. Lowly Timothy, who felt inferior because of his youth. Obedient Timothy, who went to EXTREMES in his service (just read Acts 16:3). Everyone else seeks after their own, but not Timothy. He sincerely cares for your estate.
If you don’t think this applies to you, read Philippians 2 again, or do what I am doing and memorize the chapter. Maybe it will change your mind!
