This is Part 6 of our ongoing series, “If you, then y’all.”
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:1-4
Tenderness and compassion vs. No selfish ambition
It is hard to think of a better place this is exhibited than parenthood.
A good parent makes a conscious choice to forego what could seem a “better” life for themselves individually as they sacrifice time, money, space, plans, and so much more for the sake of their children. Few things demonstrate humility more than willingly wiping the feces of another, and parents do it for years. A good parent values their child above themselves not just once, but for a lifetime.
Foster parents take this to an incredible level. They live all this out for children that are not their own, and may only be with them a short time. While a biological parent may see the fruit of their sacrifice years later, a foster parent can serve a child they may never see again, and who may never remember them. The world will never be able to adequately thank how foster parents have lived out the Philippians 2:3-4.
I have been honored to know so many amazing foster parents, and been inspired by their recurring refrain of doing nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. I recently heard one share, “I would not change anything about our life of fostering, but sometimes I see others and am aware of how much easier and happier their lives seem…” followed by an honest acknowledgement that they’re ready to “love God and love others” no matter how hard it gets. They have come to believe that life is bigger than their singular realities, and that God has called them to something generational and eternal.
We celebrate the “heroes of the faith” in Hebrews 11 and too often miss a key reality: “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40) They lived in such a way to “love God and love others” knowing they may not taste the fruit, and they did so because they were convinced God had planned something better than their singular satisfaction.
We are called to this; more than tenderness and compassion, we are invited to live in a way that values and serves others even at great cost. This is not done as individuals, but as One: “so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
Jesus did this as he longed to lament the loss of John, not only personally showing compassion, but inviting the disciples into it as well (“You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16) Feeling exhausted and limited, the Disciples initially rejected his invitation, leading Jesus to do it with them; in fact, it all happened again in the next chapter. Jesus knows we will struggle with this, and fortunately shows the way.
One Response
Doing nothing out of selfish ambition is difficult. Many times I only think about myself and not others. I need to start thinking of being one with my brothers and sisters in Christ.