Philippians 2:3 - Such Simple Words, Such Profound Truth

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ~~ NKJV

Or to put it in other words:

Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ~~ NIV

I was glad to read both translations this morning. Well, sort of glad. Because...*sigh*...it sure sounds like death to me.

More dying to self. More visits to the altar to lay down my life as a sacrifice, to let go of my fleshly desires and dreams.

My, this seems to happen so often when I read the Word. 

Oh, yeah! Duh!!! I almost forgot. It's a daily thing. Like...as in...everyday kind of daily. That often. That kind of daily. 

In case you forgot or hadn't heard yet:

Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

So this morning I read those opening words, "let nothing", and I sensed it happening. The Bible has a way of piercing asunder. (Wait, that's in there too, isn't it! He told us that Scripture would do that - that it would find us out and reveal our innermost motives. Why am I surprised when it meddles, when it challenges?) 

So there it was. I am to let NOTHING be done out of selfishness or conceit. NO THING. Not one. Nada. 

Gotta hand it to Him. He doesn't mince words. Doesn't give the soft pitch. Throws the hard ball. And that's okay for several reasons undoubtedly, but a few come immediately to mind. 

• We need to be ready to repent often. So He tells it like it is. And that keeps us humble and in need, right?
• We realize, "I can't do this, and won't do this, without the Holy Spirit." We need Him. Every hour.
• We are called to be like Him, to never stop pressing forward and longing for transformation.
• We realize He has great plans for us. This is His goal for us: to walk in His ways. He doesn't tell us to "do NO THING out of selfishness" because He wants to see us squirm. It is because He is there, ready and able to help us accomplish this very thing!!!

I learned this lesson a long time ago: Whenever I choose death to self, something so incredibly (that means unbelievably) much better than I ever imagined comes into existence.

So here I am, visiting the altar once again, knowing that something much better is in store when I let go of me so that He might have His way.