“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (NKJV)
When a river stops flowing, it loses its freshness. The water becomes brackish, stagnant, and eventually smelly. The beauty of a river is not in its ability to hold water but in its ability to run and flow into other places. You would think that pouring into others would make the river run dry, but it does the opposite. This is a picture of your life as a believer. You were designed to pour into others. Like the flowing river, the more you give, the more you thrive.
As believers, we do not live for ourselves. We live for Christ and for the good of others. The world may teach us to put ourselves first, but Scripture teaches the opposite. Jesus said that whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses it for His sake will find it (Matthew 16:25). This is the paradox of the Kingdom. The more you give yourself to others, the more life you find. Christian joy is not rooted in how much you receive, but in how much you give.
Jesus is your example of what it means to live selflessly. He poured Himself into people, served without holding back, and loved without conditions. His greatest act of love was laying down His life for humanity, when we did not deserve it (John 15:13). While we rejoice at what He did for us, we are also called to have the same attitude as He did in our relationships (Philippians 2:3-11). This means your life should be marked by love and service. Your actions and decisions should reflect a heart that puts Christ and others first.
To live selflessly doesn’t mean you stop dreaming or building. It simply means that your ambition is no longer self-centred but God-centered. True christian ambition is deeply selfless. It is not fuelled by pride or the need to be known, but by a desire to see others thrive and to see God glorified. Selfless living may not always feel easy, but it is the way of a believer. It is also where true joy is found. A joy that is not dependent on what you get, but on how much of Christ you show.
Dear believer, your life is not your own. God has called you to live beyond yourself. There is joy in giving your time, your strength, and your gifts in service to others. You were created to pour out, and in doing so, you will be filled.
Bible Reading Plan: Ezekiel 7–9; 2 Timothy 1