BRETHREN, let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.
The words that stood out to me are hightlighted. What a simple, ey powerful message from St. Paul. One thing that got me thinking is "suffering for his sake". Last SUnday at church we had a passage where it said to "take up His cross" (I think it's from John). Suffering ispart of our lives. Instead of always complaining about it, isn't it better to think of it as suffering for His sake? Now, there is a clearly defined purpose. It is no longer, why God did this to me? It is, I can suffer a 1/millionth part of the suffering that Jesus Christ had to go through for us.
What about "count others better than yourselves". How many times have we praised someone for their ability to do something? How many times have we encountered a person who does a particular job better than you and have not praised him or her for it?
My desire is to see everyone to walk in the light of Christ. Let's start by doing little thing...
Many blessings,
Darina
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