God of all people, bless and protect the needs and life of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Our text for today comes from Philippians 2: 1 If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - 2 then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. 3 Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. 4 Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. 5 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. 6 He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. 7 Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! 8 Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. 9 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, 10 so that all created beings in heaven and on earth - even those long ago dead and buried - will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, 11 and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. 12 What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. 13 That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. (The Message)
Sometimes we live life thinking like we've always thought and never give a thought to thinking like Christ. Our way of thinking is usually me-centered and getting ahead; Christ's thinking was service and helping others. Thinking of our own needs, we will disagree with those who don't see things our way, and we'll try to sweet talk ourselves to the front of the line. Christ-thinking is thinking of others, looking for solutions and helping others, making sure everyone gets what they want and need.
Living like Christ is living in obedience to God. Living in Christ is living with the renewing energy of His Spirit so that we never tire of doing good and doing for others. Living with Christ is receiving the fullness of life, which should being us the kind of satisfaction the world cannot offer.
PRAYER: Loving God, make me an instrument of Yours. Give me the mind of Christ so that my thoughts today be Your thoughts. May my focus and joy be on serving You and pleasing You and helping others come to Your love. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
