Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Every person is commanded not to look only on his own interests, needs and concerns, but also to care for the interests, needs and concerns of others. It belongs to the appeal to be like-minded with the same love, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than self, and having the mind that was in Christ Jesus. It carries the mind of Christ, who though in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him. That humble other-regard requires putting self out of sight, loving the neighbor as self, and seeking the good, success and advantage of others as earnestly as one's own, which presses believers together in unity and harmony rather than dividing them by selfishness. In daily life this means putting oneself in the place of others in business dealings without sharp practice or taking advantage, regarding the happiness and feelings of husband or wife and training children to helpfulness, and living simply and economically for the good of others rather than for self and appearance.
Meaning and Immediate Context
Philippians 2:4 commands every person not to look only on his own interests, needs and concerns, but also to care for the interests, needs and concerns of others. This other-regard belongs with humility and unity and with the self-giving mind of Christ, who humbled Himself and served even to death on the cross rather than seeking His own advantage. It is part of a humble, loving, united spirit patterned after Christ that fosters love and compassion and puts away bitterness and evil speaking. It belongs with the choice to value others above oneself, following Christ's example of taking the role of a servant and humbling Himself in obedience.
Looking on the things of others means sincere, genuine interest in their welfare, success and advantage, and in their well-being and spiritual growth. It means doing strict justice to brethren and to all in business dealings, caring equally for their success and advantage as for one's own, which is loving one's neighbor as oneself. It is not a license to covet what others have, and it forbids looking on their things to covet them, to find fault, criticize, talk about them and present them in a false light, or to lay plans for selfish interest, grasping for small gain and working for superiority and rivalry. That self-seeking, rivalrous spirit that exalts self opposes Christ's humility and love, offends God, weakens the church, and kills Christian love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony. Keeping the verse requires esteeming others better than self in lowliness of mind, being severe on one's own defects of character, quickly discerning one's own errors and mistakes, making less of the faults of others than of one's own, showing compassion toward those who err, and helping others prosper and grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ including by sharing what one has learned, which represents Christ and helps the Christian grow.
The verse belongs to the appeal to find consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit and tender mercy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. It forbids doing anything through strife or vainglory and requires lowliness of mind that esteems others better than self. It calls believers to have in themselves the mind that was in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross. This self-denying care for others requires strict unity among Christians, a message of importance to be repeated with the power of the Spirit.
The instruction is plain and strict, must not be passed over indifferently but must be guarded strictly individually and collectively to meet its high standard, for the humble-minded are precious in God's sight. It is clear instruction for Christian conduct to be obeyed at this time, especially by those carrying responsibility. No one may claim the privilege of carrying out his own ideas and plans without interruption, but every movement must pass under strict, critical self-examination that refuses to weave worldly principles into character, every principle of action must be compared with God's Word, and God's servants must counsel together and work in unity, for in unity there is strength. Obeying it requires coming into right relation to God under the broad shield of His protection, where alone there is safety, and that right relation produces forbearance and kindness that makes believers a blessing to all with whom they associate, where alone God can work through them to will and to do of His good pleasure as they work out salvation with fear and trembling. Because Christ and the Father are so closely united that how people treat Christ is how they treat the Father, greater light and evidence about God's character and will brings greater guilt and condemnation if people do not love and obey Him in this humility.
Christ's Self-Humbling Example
The verse carries the mind of Christ, who being in the form of God did not cling to equality with God but made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death, even death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him. It belongs to being like-minded with the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than self. This caring for the concerns of others as well as one's own follows from humility and the call to unity, and reflects willingness to serve rather than seek advantage. It binds every converted person to universal humility and benevolence, self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works. The instruction is plain and must not be passed over indifferently but guarded strictly individually and collectively to meet its high standard, for the humble-minded are precious in God's sight.
Seen with clear discernment, from the heights He left to hanging on the cross while taunted, His condescension annihilates selfishness. Considering what He gave up for sinners banishes selfishness and calls for gratitude, love, and ungrudging, unselfish service that goes about doing good. It requires self-denial and self-sacrifice, considerate care for the wants of the household of faith, and practical help to restore and heal sick and feeble institutions. Such service rightly represents Christ before angels and men instead of dishonoring Him by selfishness and covetousness, and following His example of not seeking His own interests brings communion with Him, makes believers a blessing to the world, gives contentment in this life, and leads to eternal reward.
Having this mind requires coming into right relation to God under the broad shield of His protection, where alone there is safety. That right relation is taught by the Holy Spirit and comes through Christ dwelling in the heart, producing unselfish, genuine love that puts others' welfare before one's own and no longer makes room for self. It produces forbearance and kindness that makes believers a blessing to all with whom they associate, with mercy, humbleness, meekness, patience, forgiveness as Christ forgave, love as the bond of perfectness, the peace of God ruling in the heart, thankfulness, and the word of Christ dwelling richly. Those ruled by Christ do not seek the largest share or treat their talents as better than fellow believers' talents, but attend to others' needs as well as their own in words, conduct, and business dealings from recognizing Christ in fellow believers. This love reflects Christ's love and is a fruit of holiness opposed to greed and every selfish desire, letting believers shine as blameless and harmless lights while working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, doing all things without murmurings and disputings and holding forth the word of life.
Because Christ and the Father are so closely united that how people treat Christ is how they treat the Father, greater light and evidence about God's character and will brings greater guilt and condemnation if people do not love and obey Him in this humility. The verse therefore calls for sharp, critical self-examination that refuses to weave worldly principles into character and requires caring for the interests and needs of others as well as one's own. It belongs to a life grounded in comfort in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, and tender mercy, shown in being likeminded with the same love, in one accord and one mind, doing nothing from strife or empty pride but in lowliness counting others better than self.
Humility Unity and Love
The verse requires universal humility and benevolence, calling every believer to lowliness of mind, meekness, putting self out of sight, esteeming others better than self, and humbling the soul before God. It refuses self-seeking, self-exaltation, self-inflation, and mastery of one person over another, and belongs to the mind of Christ who took the servant's place and humbled Himself in obedience. This humble regard is inseparable from unity, love, compassion, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit and tender mercy, putting away bitterness and evil speaking and forbidding anything done through strife or vainglory. Humble other-regard creates unity, so that believers press together rather than draw apart, counsel together, work in concert, and live in harmony and one accord with the same love. Abraham showed this when love, courtesy, conciliation and concern for another led him to yield his own choice to preserve peace with Lot, a rule meant to govern God's people as one family and prevent division. Selfishness, secretiveness, rivalry, variance, schism and insistence on carrying out one's own ideas and plans without interruption hinder advancement, and this disunion is introduced by the enemy.
The verse teaches disinterested benevolence and active Christlike love that seeks another's good and welfare as earnestly as its own, lives for others rather than for money or self, and stands opposed to greed and every selfish desire. Where Christ reigns and dwells in the heart this genuine love flourishes as a fruit of holiness, so believers do not seek the largest share or count their talents better than a fellow believer's, but attend to others' needs, success and advantage. This care begins at home and must not excuse neglect of family under pretense of holiness, for greater love to God brings stronger love and care for those whose needs lie directly before us, shown in kindness, mercy, tender words, friendly looks, respect for rights, and small cheerful acts that ease sorrows and burdens. Neglect of it brings bitterness and sorrow, while practicing it gives life purpose, connects the soul closer to Christ and His Spirit, and contributes to happiness. Neglect also brings failure in the work of God, for selfish ambition and vainglory can ruin persons and weaken churches, and a selfish spirit of grasping for small gain, superiority and rivalry brings death to spirituality and kills love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony.
Looking on the things of others to covet them, find fault, talk about them in a false light, or lay plans for selfish interest is forbidden, and instead believers are to do strict justice, be severe on their own defects, quickly discern their own errors, and make less of others' faults than of their own. A hasty passionate temper breaking out in rushed speech must be put away because it dishonors God and self, lessens faith, aids Satan and unseen evil agencies in their warfare, and awakens the worst passions in others, while Christ in the soul brings heavenly calm that makes the lowly unselfish spirit possible. Refusal to have thoughts and attitudes changed, persisting in criticism and faultfinding against work the Lord is guiding, repeats the experience of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Obeying the verse is part of being strong in the Lord and fit for His great work of saving souls, a character of humility, meekness, humble trust and simplicity of Christ with self hid in Him, to be sought by day and night prayer without faintness, distrust or murmuring. It binds every converted person to self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works, working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, doing all things without murmurings and disputings and holding forth the word of life as blameless lights, with the instruction guarded strictly by individuals and together because the humble-minded are precious in God's sight.
Business and Institutional Stewardship
In all business dealings, with believers and unbelievers alike, the verse requires putting oneself in the place of the one dealt with and looking on his interests, success and advantage as tenderly as one's own. It demands sympathy, compassion, tenderness and kindness, strict justice which is loving neighbor as self, and a Christlike spirit from the grace of God, while it forbids sharp practice, trafficking to gain advantage, every unfair self-serving action, commercialism that makes advantage of self the chief purpose, and gathering about a school to advantage self. Taking advantage of another's misfortune for personal benefit, or seeking profit through his weakness or incompetence, breaks both the principles and precepts of God's word, and no policy that enriches one class by the oppression and suffering of another can stand. Looking on the things of others never means coveting what they have, finding fault, talking about them in a false light, laying plans for selfish interest, grasping for small gain, or working for superiority and rivalry; that selfish spirit offends God, weakens the church, and kills Christian love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony, bringing death to spirituality. It requires instead being severe on one's own defects, quickly discerning one's own errors, esteeming others better than self in lowliness of mind, making less of others' faults than of one's own, closely investigating whether those who give can afford to give, being willing to help rather than be helped, being content without covetousness, remembering that one stands in review before God where every unfair act is recorded in the books of heaven, and guarding the mind continually by watchfulness and prayer with more of Jesus and less of self lest a sharp selfish spirit gain control and tarnish the soul.
The same other-regard forbids selfishly diverting the tithe to educate students, to supply temporal conveniences, or to shrink the working force to fit the treasury. The tithe is to be kept sacred to sustain ministers in active labor in new fields as well as elsewhere, doing to others as one would be done by in like circumstances. The needs of mission fields and of promising young men and women seeking education, and the support of workers' families, are to be met by personal self-denial and self-sacrifice from a separate fund of gifts and loans, cutting out every fibrous root of selfishness. Those who decide support must look beyond their own family needs and weigh what other families need according to size just as they weigh their own.
Those in responsible positions must not grow selfish and ambitious to grasp all advantages for their own work, accumulate buildings and facilities in one locality, and deprive fellow workers of what they need while leaving other portions of the field barren and desolate. Every undertaking must count the cost and consider what effect the expenditure will have on other portions of the field, for the Lord is impartial in all His work, and a portion of facilities is to be given to the more destitute fields. This means unselfish cooperation in establishing the work in Washington and supporting a school that prepares young people for missionary service, and a Christlike interest in the suffering Southern field and the workers at Nashville who taxed endurance to the utmost limit laboring almost at sacrifice of life. It forbids presenting matters without righteousness and truth, false representations and wrong impressions that withhold help as leaven, cruel criticism and words like sharp arrows that bring no glory to God, and plans and theories that hinder and retard the work; it requires being like-minded with the same love, of one accord and one mind, doing nothing through strife or vainglory, settling difficulties and righting wrongs under the Spirit's control, sustaining and recognizing almost superhuman self-sacrificing effort, remembering one's own experience in a new field, striving to establish more firmly what has been established, becoming meek and lowly and humble, partaking of Christ's loving-kindness and unselfish regard, and never hurting the souls of His purchased possession. School and sanitarium, department and branch, are each to support and bless the other in harmony, love and unity, with workers, teachers and students showing Christ's grace, yielding on nonessentials, and at every step asking whether one lives for God or for self, yoked with Christ in meekness and lowliness of heart and pleading to be taught His way.
The verse sends workers as Christ worked into new places, into those parts of the vineyard where the message has not yet gone, using time and strength to advance salvation. It calls churches and individuals to care wisely not only for their own concerns but for others' needs by being kind and attentive, helping in every necessity, relieving the oppressed, giving every encouragement, and leading others to Christ, for love to God and love to neighbor are the two great principles of the law, and where means have been placed in hand the duty to relieve the unfortunate is clear. Living not for self but for others' good lays an awful responsibility to be a witness, leaving no time for harsh or trivial words, carelessness, indifference, or acting as the world acts, because there is something higher to live for, and sharing in the cause's hardships and joys after Christ's self-denying, self-sacrificing, useful life shows genuine interest in it. Applied to France, it teaches that the wealthy and powerful should have practiced self-denial and unselfish love instead of exploiting the poor, and that lesson of the gospel would have helped answer the nation's social and political problems.
Family Church and Daily Life
In marriage there are to be no separate interests, no control of one another, and no favoring of one's own relatives above spouse and children, for keeping a separate interest and giving greater concern to one's own relatives than to spouse and children shuts love and harmony out of the home. Husband and wife are to look to each other's happiness, convenience, feelings and needs rather than insisting on their own way, putting self first and the pleasure, taste and happiness of others second, and are to regard one another as just as good and just as deserving of conveniences, comforts and happiness. This requires giving hearts wholly to God, steadily and earnestly disciplining self to become self-reliant and unselfish, getting the mind off self by deeds of kindness, charity and love, taking up distasteful domestic duties uncomplainingly instead of laying heavy weight on others, and feeling the responsibility to be a comfort and blessing rather than only expecting it. It forbids a dictatorial, overbearing, arbitrary spirit, harsh and irritable tones, and even playful bantering, joking and censuring that wound and destroy peace, and it requires patience, kindness, courtesy and unselfish service, watching words before speaking, speaking kindly with only love, gentleness and mildness in countenance and voice, being ever careful and tender of each other's feelings, yielding to each other and yielding judgment even when one's own course appears just right, and being forbearing, kind, tenderhearted, pitiful and courteous in the little courtesies of life. By tender acts and tender, cheerful, encouraging words husband and wife are to elevate one another, make each other's happiness, smooth the pathway of life for each other, hide in Jesus as His true children, walk in love and obedience to all His requirements and exemplify His character, which makes one with Christ and brings wholeness of character, which is true sanctification, victory over selfishness and blessing to others.
Parents are to give their children the attention they need and be willing to listen to counsel about their care, following the Spirit's mind in all things. Children are not to be trained to be self-absorbed or to think and expect that everything revolves around and centers on them, but to notice and care about other people and to be thoughtful for others. They are to learn to look beyond their own concerns and to help one another, forgetting self in kindness, love and gentleness, putting others' happiness and convenience before their own. This concern is learned through practical helpfulness, self-denial, kindness and everyday service, beginning in the home and extending to brothers, sisters, playmates, and those who are aged, sick or unfortunate, and such service develops unselfish ministry and brings joy in serving others.
In the church this other-regard calls for the mind of Jesus and right conduct toward fellow believers, so that wrongs against brethren and sisters require repentance, and believers care not only about their own interests but also about the needs, responsibilities, welfare and happiness of others. It means drawing near to fellow church members, drawing nigh to brethren, loving them sincerely with a true heart fervently, encouraging them to serve and to bear their responsibilities faithfully in the fear of God, and being an example in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity. It means putting confidence in the ministers of the local conference and the officers of the local church, giving fellow workers credit, pressing together rather than drawing apart, and cultivating harmony through disciplined, sanctified speech and conduct. Those with strength and influence are to bear with the weak and seek their good rather than please themselves, condemn them or abandon them when they fail, overlooking minor differences. Such self-forgetful care appears in tender words, kind looks, friendly looks and attention, respect for others' rights, and small cheerful acts of kindness that ease sorrows and burdens, and it should begin at home and extend beyond the family, for neglecting it brings bitterness and sorrow while practicing it contributes to life's happiness and reflects union with Christ.
Humble fellowship refuses to choose only one's own company or to separate from those who do not accept one's ideas and plans, and those laboring together are to set aside separate interests, care about one another, and live with confidence, frankness and openness, for selfishness and secretiveness work against this unity and can hinder others in their service. Concern for others must accompany concern for oneself by putting self aside, even foregoing personal plans and desires, in order to help and encourage others. This unselfish service is a mark of a noble leader in Christ's service.
Daily obedience forbids spending much time and money on self for the sake of appearance and centering thoughts on self, for self-centeredness leaves undone many things that would comfort others and loses countless opportunities to bring light and hope to weary lives and blessing to others and to oneself. It means living for others' good through self-denial, simplicity and economy, being kind and attentive, helping in every necessity, helping those in need, relieving the oppressed, encouraging them and giving them every encouragement, with the servant of Christ asking under every circumstance what he can do to help others, doing his best and then leaving the consequences with God. Love for God and love for neighbor are the two great principles of God's law, and where means have been placed in hand to relieve those in need the duty to act is clear and leaves no question. Prayer must not seek blessing for oneself alone but must include neighbors as well, for calling God Father means recognizing all His children as brothers and sisters in one human family, and perceiving God's love leads people to give up selfishness. Forgetfulness of self is expressed by bringing others light, peace and comfort, and this selfless care is true human dignity, unlike constant concern for one's status or respect. Helping others bear their burdens benefits both giver and receiver, for forgetting self in service brings victory over personal weaknesses and over weakness, supports health of soul and body, gives satisfaction that helps restore a healthy imagination, and gives true happiness, while selfish inactivity hastens decay.
Concern for one's own family must not become a selfish limit on concern for other people, including students living in one's home, for Christians must look beyond their own interests and take responsibility for the good of others. Serving others may require giving up personal profit, convenience and pleasure, as Christ's example shows, for had He put these first the world would have been left in sin.
Every person is commanded not to look only on his own interests, needs and concerns, but also to care for the interests, needs and concerns of others. It belongs to the appeal to be like-minded with the same love, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than self, and having the mind that was in Christ Jesus. It carries the mind of Christ, who though in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him. That humble other-regard requires putting self out of sight, loving the neighbor as self, and seeking the good, success and advantage of others as earnestly as one's own, which presses believers together in unity and harmony rather than dividing them by selfishness. In daily life this means putting oneself in the place of others in business dealings without sharp practice or taking advantage, regarding the happiness and feelings of husband or wife and training children to helpfulness, and living simply and economically for the good of others rather than for self and appearance.
Meaning and Immediate Context
Philippians 2:4 commands every person not to look only on his own interests, needs and concerns, but also to care for the interests, needs and concerns of others. This other-regard belongs with humility and unity and with the self-giving mind of Christ, who humbled Himself and served even to death on the cross rather than seeking His own advantage. It is part of a humble, loving, united spirit patterned after Christ that fosters love and compassion and puts away bitterness and evil speaking. It belongs with the choice to value others above oneself, following Christ's example of taking the role of a servant and humbling Himself in obedience.
Looking on the things of others means sincere, genuine interest in their welfare, success and advantage, and in their well-being and spiritual growth. It means doing strict justice to brethren and to all in business dealings, caring equally for their success and advantage as for one's own, which is loving one's neighbor as oneself. It is not a license to covet what others have, and it forbids looking on their things to covet them, to find fault, criticize, talk about them and present them in a false light, or to lay plans for selfish interest, grasping for small gain and working for superiority and rivalry. That self-seeking, rivalrous spirit that exalts self opposes Christ's humility and love, offends God, weakens the church, and kills Christian love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony. Keeping the verse requires esteeming others better than self in lowliness of mind, being severe on one's own defects of character, quickly discerning one's own errors and mistakes, making less of the faults of others than of one's own, showing compassion toward those who err, and helping others prosper and grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ including by sharing what one has learned, which represents Christ and helps the Christian grow.
The verse belongs to the appeal to find consolation in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit and tender mercy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. It forbids doing anything through strife or vainglory and requires lowliness of mind that esteems others better than self. It calls believers to have in themselves the mind that was in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross. This self-denying care for others requires strict unity among Christians, a message of importance to be repeated with the power of the Spirit.
The instruction is plain and strict, must not be passed over indifferently but must be guarded strictly individually and collectively to meet its high standard, for the humble-minded are precious in God's sight. It is clear instruction for Christian conduct to be obeyed at this time, especially by those carrying responsibility. No one may claim the privilege of carrying out his own ideas and plans without interruption, but every movement must pass under strict, critical self-examination that refuses to weave worldly principles into character, every principle of action must be compared with God's Word, and God's servants must counsel together and work in unity, for in unity there is strength. Obeying it requires coming into right relation to God under the broad shield of His protection, where alone there is safety, and that right relation produces forbearance and kindness that makes believers a blessing to all with whom they associate, where alone God can work through them to will and to do of His good pleasure as they work out salvation with fear and trembling. Because Christ and the Father are so closely united that how people treat Christ is how they treat the Father, greater light and evidence about God's character and will brings greater guilt and condemnation if people do not love and obey Him in this humility.
Christ's Self-Humbling Example
The verse carries the mind of Christ, who being in the form of God did not cling to equality with God but made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death, even death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him. It belongs to being like-minded with the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than self. This caring for the concerns of others as well as one's own follows from humility and the call to unity, and reflects willingness to serve rather than seek advantage. It binds every converted person to universal humility and benevolence, self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works. The instruction is plain and must not be passed over indifferently but guarded strictly individually and collectively to meet its high standard, for the humble-minded are precious in God's sight.
Seen with clear discernment, from the heights He left to hanging on the cross while taunted, His condescension annihilates selfishness. Considering what He gave up for sinners banishes selfishness and calls for gratitude, love, and ungrudging, unselfish service that goes about doing good. It requires self-denial and self-sacrifice, considerate care for the wants of the household of faith, and practical help to restore and heal sick and feeble institutions. Such service rightly represents Christ before angels and men instead of dishonoring Him by selfishness and covetousness, and following His example of not seeking His own interests brings communion with Him, makes believers a blessing to the world, gives contentment in this life, and leads to eternal reward.
Having this mind requires coming into right relation to God under the broad shield of His protection, where alone there is safety. That right relation is taught by the Holy Spirit and comes through Christ dwelling in the heart, producing unselfish, genuine love that puts others' welfare before one's own and no longer makes room for self. It produces forbearance and kindness that makes believers a blessing to all with whom they associate, with mercy, humbleness, meekness, patience, forgiveness as Christ forgave, love as the bond of perfectness, the peace of God ruling in the heart, thankfulness, and the word of Christ dwelling richly. Those ruled by Christ do not seek the largest share or treat their talents as better than fellow believers' talents, but attend to others' needs as well as their own in words, conduct, and business dealings from recognizing Christ in fellow believers. This love reflects Christ's love and is a fruit of holiness opposed to greed and every selfish desire, letting believers shine as blameless and harmless lights while working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, doing all things without murmurings and disputings and holding forth the word of life.
Because Christ and the Father are so closely united that how people treat Christ is how they treat the Father, greater light and evidence about God's character and will brings greater guilt and condemnation if people do not love and obey Him in this humility. The verse therefore calls for sharp, critical self-examination that refuses to weave worldly principles into character and requires caring for the interests and needs of others as well as one's own. It belongs to a life grounded in comfort in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, and tender mercy, shown in being likeminded with the same love, in one accord and one mind, doing nothing from strife or empty pride but in lowliness counting others better than self.
Humility Unity and Love
The verse requires universal humility and benevolence, calling every believer to lowliness of mind, meekness, putting self out of sight, esteeming others better than self, and humbling the soul before God. It refuses self-seeking, self-exaltation, self-inflation, and mastery of one person over another, and belongs to the mind of Christ who took the servant's place and humbled Himself in obedience. This humble regard is inseparable from unity, love, compassion, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit and tender mercy, putting away bitterness and evil speaking and forbidding anything done through strife or vainglory. Humble other-regard creates unity, so that believers press together rather than draw apart, counsel together, work in concert, and live in harmony and one accord with the same love. Abraham showed this when love, courtesy, conciliation and concern for another led him to yield his own choice to preserve peace with Lot, a rule meant to govern God's people as one family and prevent division. Selfishness, secretiveness, rivalry, variance, schism and insistence on carrying out one's own ideas and plans without interruption hinder advancement, and this disunion is introduced by the enemy.
The verse teaches disinterested benevolence and active Christlike love that seeks another's good and welfare as earnestly as its own, lives for others rather than for money or self, and stands opposed to greed and every selfish desire. Where Christ reigns and dwells in the heart this genuine love flourishes as a fruit of holiness, so believers do not seek the largest share or count their talents better than a fellow believer's, but attend to others' needs, success and advantage. This care begins at home and must not excuse neglect of family under pretense of holiness, for greater love to God brings stronger love and care for those whose needs lie directly before us, shown in kindness, mercy, tender words, friendly looks, respect for rights, and small cheerful acts that ease sorrows and burdens. Neglect of it brings bitterness and sorrow, while practicing it gives life purpose, connects the soul closer to Christ and His Spirit, and contributes to happiness. Neglect also brings failure in the work of God, for selfish ambition and vainglory can ruin persons and weaken churches, and a selfish spirit of grasping for small gain, superiority and rivalry brings death to spirituality and kills love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony.
Looking on the things of others to covet them, find fault, talk about them in a false light, or lay plans for selfish interest is forbidden, and instead believers are to do strict justice, be severe on their own defects, quickly discern their own errors, and make less of others' faults than of their own. A hasty passionate temper breaking out in rushed speech must be put away because it dishonors God and self, lessens faith, aids Satan and unseen evil agencies in their warfare, and awakens the worst passions in others, while Christ in the soul brings heavenly calm that makes the lowly unselfish spirit possible. Refusal to have thoughts and attitudes changed, persisting in criticism and faultfinding against work the Lord is guiding, repeats the experience of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Obeying the verse is part of being strong in the Lord and fit for His great work of saving souls, a character of humility, meekness, humble trust and simplicity of Christ with self hid in Him, to be sought by day and night prayer without faintness, distrust or murmuring. It binds every converted person to self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works, working out salvation with fear and trembling as God works to will and do, doing all things without murmurings and disputings and holding forth the word of life as blameless lights, with the instruction guarded strictly by individuals and together because the humble-minded are precious in God's sight.
Business and Institutional Stewardship
In all business dealings, with believers and unbelievers alike, the verse requires putting oneself in the place of the one dealt with and looking on his interests, success and advantage as tenderly as one's own. It demands sympathy, compassion, tenderness and kindness, strict justice which is loving neighbor as self, and a Christlike spirit from the grace of God, while it forbids sharp practice, trafficking to gain advantage, every unfair self-serving action, commercialism that makes advantage of self the chief purpose, and gathering about a school to advantage self. Taking advantage of another's misfortune for personal benefit, or seeking profit through his weakness or incompetence, breaks both the principles and precepts of God's word, and no policy that enriches one class by the oppression and suffering of another can stand. Looking on the things of others never means coveting what they have, finding fault, talking about them in a false light, laying plans for selfish interest, grasping for small gain, or working for superiority and rivalry; that selfish spirit offends God, weakens the church, and kills Christian love and unity of action through strife, variance, opposition, differences, alienation and lack of harmony, bringing death to spirituality. It requires instead being severe on one's own defects, quickly discerning one's own errors, esteeming others better than self in lowliness of mind, making less of others' faults than of one's own, closely investigating whether those who give can afford to give, being willing to help rather than be helped, being content without covetousness, remembering that one stands in review before God where every unfair act is recorded in the books of heaven, and guarding the mind continually by watchfulness and prayer with more of Jesus and less of self lest a sharp selfish spirit gain control and tarnish the soul.
The same other-regard forbids selfishly diverting the tithe to educate students, to supply temporal conveniences, or to shrink the working force to fit the treasury. The tithe is to be kept sacred to sustain ministers in active labor in new fields as well as elsewhere, doing to others as one would be done by in like circumstances. The needs of mission fields and of promising young men and women seeking education, and the support of workers' families, are to be met by personal self-denial and self-sacrifice from a separate fund of gifts and loans, cutting out every fibrous root of selfishness. Those who decide support must look beyond their own family needs and weigh what other families need according to size just as they weigh their own.
Those in responsible positions must not grow selfish and ambitious to grasp all advantages for their own work, accumulate buildings and facilities in one locality, and deprive fellow workers of what they need while leaving other portions of the field barren and desolate. Every undertaking must count the cost and consider what effect the expenditure will have on other portions of the field, for the Lord is impartial in all His work, and a portion of facilities is to be given to the more destitute fields. This means unselfish cooperation in establishing the work in Washington and supporting a school that prepares young people for missionary service, and a Christlike interest in the suffering Southern field and the workers at Nashville who taxed endurance to the utmost limit laboring almost at sacrifice of life. It forbids presenting matters without righteousness and truth, false representations and wrong impressions that withhold help as leaven, cruel criticism and words like sharp arrows that bring no glory to God, and plans and theories that hinder and retard the work; it requires being like-minded with the same love, of one accord and one mind, doing nothing through strife or vainglory, settling difficulties and righting wrongs under the Spirit's control, sustaining and recognizing almost superhuman self-sacrificing effort, remembering one's own experience in a new field, striving to establish more firmly what has been established, becoming meek and lowly and humble, partaking of Christ's loving-kindness and unselfish regard, and never hurting the souls of His purchased possession. School and sanitarium, department and branch, are each to support and bless the other in harmony, love and unity, with workers, teachers and students showing Christ's grace, yielding on nonessentials, and at every step asking whether one lives for God or for self, yoked with Christ in meekness and lowliness of heart and pleading to be taught His way.
The verse sends workers as Christ worked into new places, into those parts of the vineyard where the message has not yet gone, using time and strength to advance salvation. It calls churches and individuals to care wisely not only for their own concerns but for others' needs by being kind and attentive, helping in every necessity, relieving the oppressed, giving every encouragement, and leading others to Christ, for love to God and love to neighbor are the two great principles of the law, and where means have been placed in hand the duty to relieve the unfortunate is clear. Living not for self but for others' good lays an awful responsibility to be a witness, leaving no time for harsh or trivial words, carelessness, indifference, or acting as the world acts, because there is something higher to live for, and sharing in the cause's hardships and joys after Christ's self-denying, self-sacrificing, useful life shows genuine interest in it. Applied to France, it teaches that the wealthy and powerful should have practiced self-denial and unselfish love instead of exploiting the poor, and that lesson of the gospel would have helped answer the nation's social and political problems.
Family Church and Daily Life
In marriage there are to be no separate interests, no control of one another, and no favoring of one's own relatives above spouse and children, for keeping a separate interest and giving greater concern to one's own relatives than to spouse and children shuts love and harmony out of the home. Husband and wife are to look to each other's happiness, convenience, feelings and needs rather than insisting on their own way, putting self first and the pleasure, taste and happiness of others second, and are to regard one another as just as good and just as deserving of conveniences, comforts and happiness. This requires giving hearts wholly to God, steadily and earnestly disciplining self to become self-reliant and unselfish, getting the mind off self by deeds of kindness, charity and love, taking up distasteful domestic duties uncomplainingly instead of laying heavy weight on others, and feeling the responsibility to be a comfort and blessing rather than only expecting it. It forbids a dictatorial, overbearing, arbitrary spirit, harsh and irritable tones, and even playful bantering, joking and censuring that wound and destroy peace, and it requires patience, kindness, courtesy and unselfish service, watching words before speaking, speaking kindly with only love, gentleness and mildness in countenance and voice, being ever careful and tender of each other's feelings, yielding to each other and yielding judgment even when one's own course appears just right, and being forbearing, kind, tenderhearted, pitiful and courteous in the little courtesies of life. By tender acts and tender, cheerful, encouraging words husband and wife are to elevate one another, make each other's happiness, smooth the pathway of life for each other, hide in Jesus as His true children, walk in love and obedience to all His requirements and exemplify His character, which makes one with Christ and brings wholeness of character, which is true sanctification, victory over selfishness and blessing to others.
Parents are to give their children the attention they need and be willing to listen to counsel about their care, following the Spirit's mind in all things. Children are not to be trained to be self-absorbed or to think and expect that everything revolves around and centers on them, but to notice and care about other people and to be thoughtful for others. They are to learn to look beyond their own concerns and to help one another, forgetting self in kindness, love and gentleness, putting others' happiness and convenience before their own. This concern is learned through practical helpfulness, self-denial, kindness and everyday service, beginning in the home and extending to brothers, sisters, playmates, and those who are aged, sick or unfortunate, and such service develops unselfish ministry and brings joy in serving others.
In the church this other-regard calls for the mind of Jesus and right conduct toward fellow believers, so that wrongs against brethren and sisters require repentance, and believers care not only about their own interests but also about the needs, responsibilities, welfare and happiness of others. It means drawing near to fellow church members, drawing nigh to brethren, loving them sincerely with a true heart fervently, encouraging them to serve and to bear their responsibilities faithfully in the fear of God, and being an example in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity. It means putting confidence in the ministers of the local conference and the officers of the local church, giving fellow workers credit, pressing together rather than drawing apart, and cultivating harmony through disciplined, sanctified speech and conduct. Those with strength and influence are to bear with the weak and seek their good rather than please themselves, condemn them or abandon them when they fail, overlooking minor differences. Such self-forgetful care appears in tender words, kind looks, friendly looks and attention, respect for others' rights, and small cheerful acts of kindness that ease sorrows and burdens, and it should begin at home and extend beyond the family, for neglecting it brings bitterness and sorrow while practicing it contributes to life's happiness and reflects union with Christ.
Humble fellowship refuses to choose only one's own company or to separate from those who do not accept one's ideas and plans, and those laboring together are to set aside separate interests, care about one another, and live with confidence, frankness and openness, for selfishness and secretiveness work against this unity and can hinder others in their service. Concern for others must accompany concern for oneself by putting self aside, even foregoing personal plans and desires, in order to help and encourage others. This unselfish service is a mark of a noble leader in Christ's service.
Daily obedience forbids spending much time and money on self for the sake of appearance and centering thoughts on self, for self-centeredness leaves undone many things that would comfort others and loses countless opportunities to bring light and hope to weary lives and blessing to others and to oneself. It means living for others' good through self-denial, simplicity and economy, being kind and attentive, helping in every necessity, helping those in need, relieving the oppressed, encouraging them and giving them every encouragement, with the servant of Christ asking under every circumstance what he can do to help others, doing his best and then leaving the consequences with God. Love for God and love for neighbor are the two great principles of God's law, and where means have been placed in hand to relieve those in need the duty to act is clear and leaves no question. Prayer must not seek blessing for oneself alone but must include neighbors as well, for calling God Father means recognizing all His children as brothers and sisters in one human family, and perceiving God's love leads people to give up selfishness. Forgetfulness of self is expressed by bringing others light, peace and comfort, and this selfless care is true human dignity, unlike constant concern for one's status or respect. Helping others bear their burdens benefits both giver and receiver, for forgetting self in service brings victory over personal weaknesses and over weakness, supports health of soul and body, gives satisfaction that helps restore a healthy imagination, and gives true happiness, while selfish inactivity hastens decay.
Concern for one's own family must not become a selfish limit on concern for other people, including students living in one's home, for Christians must look beyond their own interests and take responsibility for the good of others. Serving others may require giving up personal profit, convenience and pleasure, as Christ's example shows, for had He put these first the world would have been left in sin.