It's A Race To The Bottom

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves”

Philippians 2:3



There is an old military slogan that says, “Leaders Eat Last” which served as a model for the kind of attitude that the military looks for in its leaders, the kind that makes for a winning team. In the world people are always striving for upward mobility, climbing the ladder of success as they say. Unfortunately in our “dog eat dog” world that mentality is “survival of the fittest” which eventually leads to death.

What has made our military great since its inception is an atmosphere of service. It’s the culture of the military and why for generations we continue to honor our men and women of the armed forces. If you signed up or were drafted, the name itself encapsulates all branches of the military, the word “service” and why any time we encounter a veteran or an enlisted member we thank them for their service to our us and our country.

Studying the book of 1 Corinthians we find right away that one of the major problems facing the church was their self-centeredness. From their carnality of who they would sit under for bible study and say they would follow, to their superiority complex when it came to the use of spiritual gifts this church had some major issues. That is why Paul set out to remind them that love is patient and kind and doesn’t seek its own. God’s love is always service minded and others focused.

The church at Corinth enjoyed lots of potlucks and it was there where the attitudes of the church were negatively exposed, often times in the leaders. Instead of modeling a servants heart and preferring others better than themselves like Jesus, those in charge lined up first and made everyone else wait on them. Needless to say that caused a riff in the church and Paul wrote them a couple of letters to address the issues and to bring about the needed correction.

It was Jesus who said that the greatest among us is the servant of all, and we do well to remember that as we go about our business. Here's just a few practical ways we can put others first. When we visit a restaurant do we tip the waiter or waitress who serves us for doing their job well? Do we hold doors open for people going in or out of buildings? How about allowing cars to cut in front of us on the road? The possibilities are endless to care for and serve other people.

We might not all wear a uniform that says “I serve” but our actions each day should. Pray and ask God to lead you to people to serve today and then look for those divine appointments to reveal the love of Christ and make Him known. Remember the motto of the servant of God, “its a race to the bottom” as we seek to “out do” one another in love and good works this week in Jesus name!  

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves”

Philippians 2:3

I LOVE YOU!