Philippians 2:1-13 (NRSV)
Read Philippians 2:1-13 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, Verse 2make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Verse 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Verse 4Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Verse 5Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Verse 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, Verse 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, Verse 8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross. Verse 9Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, Verse 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Verse 11and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Verse 12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Verse 13for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Devotion
In these days of ethics scandals and global saber-rattling, our own mistrust of corporate and world leaders deepens. Ironically, that mistrust can strengthen our faith. Indeed, our mistrust compels us to turn our heads and our hearts in another direction, to look even more closely at the one we call the Christ. There we find one who did nothing out of self-interest and everything in humility, the one who looked to the needs and interests of those he was called to serve.
Let us give thanks that this Lord Jesus Christ was looking out for our well-being and giving us new life, thereby freeing us to care deeply for others.