"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)
Unless you live in a world free of blogs and other social media (and if you do, how are you reading this?), I'm sure you've seen those feel-good articles made attractive with vintage-y looking photos of cool looking people and a title that goes something like, "24 Reasons You're Awesome, and You Don't Need Anybody's Approval". I've read several. They all sound pretty similar. And almost all of them make me cringe, because A) I have a psychology degree and B) I'm a Christian.
I know, it's a tough world, and we need whatever encouragement we can get. When we're struggling with our own pain and fear and brokenness, it feels good to have the computer screen tell us that it's okay to do whatever we need to to be happy. But here's what gets me: We often decide that it's more important for us to be encouraged than for us to encourage others. Insensitivity has become a virtue. We strive to be blissfully ignorant of the thoughts and feelings of others, and value independence above all else. We are so wrapped up in pursuing our own goals and protecting our fragile self-esteem that we crash through life like the proverbial bull in an emotional china shop. Relieved to be rid of such weaknesses, we sacrifice courtesy, compassion, and humanity on the altar of happiness. It has become our idol.
But wait, doesn't God want us to be happy? Of course! It's His greatest wish for His beloved children. But He's wise enough to know that when we invest in the happiness of others, we gain a happiness that is so much deeper than we ever dreamed of. I think we'd all agree that it doesn't feel good to hurt someone else, but we've bought the lie that it's the price we must pay if we want to be the best we can be. Dear friends, this is not true. It's what Satan has told us to keep us busy sabotaging each other.
God's way can be frustrating, because not everyone is on board. But nevertheless, strive to find happiness through humility and sacrifice. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Thanks for sharing your bite sized daily inspirational messages, Amanda. It's so refreshing to have a clear path to what really matters and it's all through Him.
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