We live in a society dominated by the American dream...
Illustration
We live in a society dominated by the American dream. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and make your way in the world. Go from rags to riches. Look out for number one. Don't let anyone stand in the way of becoming great. That mentality has even reached the church in some forms. Get a bigger church. Build that new addition. Get the most people through the doors you can so that others will see how big a congregation you have. Be the best.
While it is good to be industrious and work hard, the drive to be number one goes completely in the opposite direction of this passage. Jesus, the Son of God, left his heavenly throne to not only take on human form but also to die a horrible, tortuous death. If he is to be our example, we cannot look to be a Christian and yet also live out the look-out-for-number-one American dream. As Paul said, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (vv. 3-4).
While it is good to be industrious and work hard, the drive to be number one goes completely in the opposite direction of this passage. Jesus, the Son of God, left his heavenly throne to not only take on human form but also to die a horrible, tortuous death. If he is to be our example, we cannot look to be a Christian and yet also live out the look-out-for-number-one American dream. As Paul said, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (vv. 3-4).
