Deep-spirited friends

Philippians 2:1-8

1 -4 If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
5 -8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

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The highlighted part is good, no doubt. It certainly sets the example for us all. How much are we to love others? As Christ loved the church. The Bible says there is not greater love than that kind of love. That's laying it all on the line, it's giving it all, holding nothing back for ourselves. That's a tall order. There's no ambiguity there, just straight up commitment. Reading that reminds me of the people that asked Jesus, "How many times do I forgive my brother, seven?" and Jesus said "Oh no! Much more than that! 70 times 70!" In other words, "Don't stop, just keep forgiving and forgiving!". That's why He said in his example prayer that we should pray "Lord forgive me as I forgive my offenders.". Our loving/giving is to be limitless, like free re-fills at McDonalds. Just keep it coming baby!

The stuff I didn't highlight is some of the practical working out of how to make this happen. Paul mentions this same idea in other places too. It's the idea that is soooooo counter to our culture. Pull back and promote others. Lift others up and learn to play second fiddle.

Our culture hates that concept. That's why loving others is such a radical command, it's revolutionary, it turns the world's idea upside down and inside out. Our world is all about self preservation, self promotion, and self gratification. No so in the kingdom of God. It's about giving, forgiving, and giving more. It's about emptying ourselves of ourselves and instead becoming a resource for other people. As an American I can say that I think that sucks. But as a Christian I understand it and believe it.

Oddly enough, this is a pretty good way to live. Oddly enough, that love ends up coming back to you. Imagine if a church did this in a serious, committed way. Each person looking out for the needs of others. Each as he has giving to the need of others as the Spirit guides. That's the way it's supposed to be. Sure, I'd be giving out. But I'd also be receiving as others gave to me. What a cool way to live. Call it communism or socialism or whatever. It's still cool.

I've only recently begun to try to implement this in my daily living. I'm pretty new at it so I'm pretty clumsy about it. But, it does work. I'm the boss where I work and as I've given myself to my subordinates and put their interests before mine I've seen an exponential difference in their attitude, their production, and their loyalty to me. Whereas before I used to lead the charge, now they're leading the way and the creative synergy that's come out of it is incredible. I win, they win, the company wins, my boss wins. It's a win-win-win for everybody. I've begun framing this value in the context of "teamwork" and the team is gelling like nobody's business. My employees are actually talking to my boss about promoting me, it's the strangest thing. All because I began living the law of love in my work and putting other people before myself.

Don't get me wrong, living love is often hard and brings hardship and scorn from others. It's not always and easy way nor does it always bring you financial gain. Most of the time it costs you something. But that's ok. Sometimes it's beneficial too. No matter what we do it has to be for love's sake, not our own gain, otherwise it's worthless.

How many relationships would be repaired or restored if someone would lay down their pride, their interests and instead do what it took to make the other person happy? Jesus told us that if a man sues us that we ought to give him what he's asking for and give him more than that in order preserve the relationship and live the law of love. Do we really do that in practice?

How many times are we jealous of the success or public promotion of other people? How many times do we fantasize that we could sit in the seat of honor? More often than we'd like to admit I'm sure. But Jesus said that if we want to be first then we are to serve. That's what he was trying to teach his social climbing disciples in the Upper Room when he insisted on washing their feet. He told the leaders of the church that if they want to be true leaders then they'll be servants of all. Isn't that soooo counter cultural? To us the sign of success is when we can lord over people and they serve US and we lead THEM. In the kingdom of God the first shall be last and the last will be first.