After Me, You're First!

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3)

Recently I stopped at a traffic light next to a company vehicle belonging to a major insurance firm.  The driver clearly needed to get into my lane in order to exit just ahead, so as we waited for the light to change, rather than battle it out for first place, I motioned for him to get ahead of me in traffic.  He waved his thanks and off we went.

Contrast that with a more common practice from my high school days.  Whenever we would race to the lunch line at the cafeteria and a late-arriving friend would ask to be let in line, the common response as we would do so was: "After me you're first!"

That attitude from high school days, beloved, has sadly become all too familiar today, even among Christians.  No one is supposed to best us, to take the lead on us in any way.  We aren't to sacrifice ourselves or even be inconvenienced for someone else' benefit.  In other words, "After me, you're first"!

But what did the Apostle Paul say to the believers in Philippi about such an attitude?  How are we to respond when facing the needs of others?  Is ours to be some sort of modified "after me, you're first" focus?  Paul's reply to our question is as unsettling as it is startling.  Regard one another as more important than yourselves!  Very simply, seek the good of others ahead of your own desires.  It is just that simple.

Let me propose to you, beloved, one clear-cut reason why we should have no difficulty considering everyone else to be more important than ourselves.  First of all, we do so simply because that is what the Lord wants us to do.  Paul's words do not constitute a suggestion or recommendation but rather a command.  The apostle is describing in no uncertain terms what the Lord expects us to do.  It is what He demands of those who profess to be His followers, His servants.

Then, because He commands it, as we obey Him in it we are in reality putting Him first.  How often do we who claim to follow Him refuse to put others first?  If we do not consider others to be more important than ourselves, beloved, then we cannot really be putting Him first!  We may as well let this listening world hear us say to Jesus, "After me, You're first" as we would let them see in our living that we do not consider one another to be more important than ourselves.

What is your attitude, then, toward the place Jesus has in your life?  Did you know that it is reflected most clearly in your attitude toward others?  It may begin with simply letting someone in front of you in traffic, but it reaches far beyond something as trivial as that!

Ron