The Selfless Mind
By: Bill Burk
“Look out for number one” has long been a motto of the “me” generation. None of us, it seems, are immune to either occasional or habitual bouts of selfishness. Battling against Satan, self and sin are at the heart of the Christian’s conflict (Eph. 6:10-17; Gal. 5:16-26; etc.). The Bible teaches that selflessness is one of the keys to the type of unity the Lord demands of His people. The Apostle Paul, in admonishing the Philippians to greater oneness, wrote of the necessity of esteeming others better than self and “looking out not only for your own interests but also the interests of others” (Phi. 2:1-4). If the Philippians were confused by what Paul desired of them, they were not for long, because the apostle went on to set forth four living examples of the selfless mind. Consider…
1. The Selfless
Mind of Christ: Paul urged the brethren at Philippi to possess the mind of
Christ (Phi. 2:5). Jesus demonstrated in life a mindset of selflessness (He left
heaven, came to earth, became a man and died for our sakes), service, humility,
obedience and perseverance (2:6-8). Because He was willing to humble Himself,
His Father has chosen to exalt Him (2:9-11). Humble, selfless service towards
others, in obedience to God’s will, pleases the Lord and eventually will lead to
great reward (Jas. 4:6,10; 1 Pet. 5:5-6; Heb. 5:8-9).
2. The Selfless Mind of the Apostle Paul: As one reads the letter to the
Philippians, he is struck by the selfless sacrifice of Paul on behalf of the
Philippians. Even though it was better for him to depart and be with the Lord,
he understood that it was needful for them that he remain behind for their sake
(Phi. 1:21-26). He labored for them, pour himself out for them and sacrificed
himself for the sake of their faith (Phi. 2:16-18). Even though he was in
prison, Paul was more concerned about others than his own plight.
3. The Selfless Mind of Timothy: Timothy was very much like Paul. In fact, as
the apostle spoke of the young evangelist, he said, “I
have no one likeminded” (Phi. 2:20). Timothy, unlike most, did not seek
his own but rather sought the things of Christ (2:21). He was known for being
selfless (2:22).
4. The Selfless Mind of Epaphroditus: Paul referred to Epaphroditus as a “brother,” “fellow worker” and “fellow soldier” (Phi. 2:25). Epaphroditus loved the Philippians. The text says that he was “distressed” because the Philippians had heard he was sick. How amazing! Most of us would be distressed because of the experience of sickness, but Epaphroditus was distressed because he was concerned about the Philippians being overly concerned about Him. What selflessness he demonstrated. This great man risked his life for the apostle Paul and was willing to do whatever he could for the sake of the Philippians. If he died doing it, he did not care.
With these examples and thoughts in mind, the question is posed, “Do you possess the selfless mind?” Do you find that you concern yourself often with the welfare of others or do you constantly focus upon personal matters? In order for the church to function properly and in order for the Lord to be pleased, we must possess a mind of selflessness. Here are our examples to follow. Therefore, Let this mind be in you… (Phi. 2:5).