Putting Others First

By: Len Stubbs

Putting Others First

Len Stubbs
Certified Christian Coach
Real Path Coaching

“Firefighters Fight back Flames to Save Family.” News at 11.

Up Next “Hundreds of Christian volunteers rebuild homes destroyed in flood.”

Our top story ” Unknown man stops assailant wants no credit”.

When everyday citizens like you and me perform extraordinary feats, when the average Joe puts his self-interest and safety second and places the interest of others first, when we witness Christ- centeredness rather than self-centeredness demonstrated we pay attention. When we hear and see these acts of neighborly love we immediately and reflexively sit up, and take notice.

These types of acts of goodwill grab our attention. These selfless acts motivate us to reflect on the condition of our heart, inspire us to change, and give us hope.

But beyond the headlines and hidden from the sight of most of our daily lives are other individuals, again like each of you, who also motivate us and inspire hope. Each and everyday thousands of people make a conscious decision, a practice, and a career of putting others ahead of themselves by following a higher calling of salt and light.

These individuals, each role models, follow the example set by our savior Jesus Christ himself who “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of the servant.” Philippians 2:7

In one of the most electric passages in the bible (Philippians 2 1-11) Paul describes the real path that Jesus elected to walk for all his children. A Journey that took him from the glory of heaven, to death on a cross, and back again to heaven sitting at the right hand of the Father.

There can be no debate that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to save us from our sins. Paul says that even though Jesus was God, he gave up his heavenly status to save a rebellious and sinful human population. He shed His blood so that we might receive forgiveness.

Each of us as Christians are called through our actions and lives to boldly show ourselves as followers of Jesus. We are each called to put the interest of others above our own. To “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

While such sacrifice may be difficult at times, I think we can all agree that no amount of human difficulty could ever or will ever rival the sacrifice Jesus knowingly, lovingly, and willingly made for us at Calvary.

Following his way, his word, and his example could be as simple as giving up a prime parking space to an elderly couple or as difficult as giving up a lucrative career to follow Jesus’ call to a ministry or Para ministry position.

Here is what the Lord has to say about Putting Others First in His word.

(1) In 1 Corinthians 10:24 –“ Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. “
(2) In Mark 10: 45 - “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many"
(3) In Luke 23:34 - Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
(4) In Philippians 2:6-8 - “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
(5) In 1 Corinthians 8:13 – “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.”
So in the end, how exactly do you plan your life so that your focus is to put others first? Here are Four (4) tips that I think you may find helpful.

Four (4) tips to Putting Others First  

1. Prepare Your Heart – God created you with unique gifts, ideas, and passions, and longs for you to connect with His redemptive purpose. The path of discovering God's purpose for your life starts with the practice of putting others first.
2.Let Go - Consciously commit to moving from self- centeredness to Christ-centeredness.
3.Follow His Lead – Jesus took on the lowest of lowly slave duties… that of a foot washer. Do you need a better example of servant hood?
4.Sharpen Your Focus On Jesus - Seek a constant personal relationship with your heavenly Father. With committed, trusting friends, associates, accountability partners and family at our sides, learn how to be free from selfishness and find liberation, and growth from the practice of putting others first.
Each of us is called to live out Paul’s call to servant hood. We need to continually “consider others better than ourselves “ as a part of a life that is devoted to Jesus Christ, who did after all provide us with the ultimate example of selflessness and servant hood.

As a final thought on this subject, Christ centeredness clearly causes God joy. As such consider continually seeking to grow closer to Christ. Always seek to continue growing as a person, pushing yourself to more fully reflect Christ in our words, deeds, and lives.
The point here is not that we should give away all our possessions and live homeless, but rather as “ he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
I hope that you will make and take some time and read Philippians 2 again, slowly, methodically, this time absorbing the loving, amazing nature and example of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice.

Let me help you to learn how to effectively put Others First. Contact me on the web at realpathcoaching.com: email me at mailto:rplcoaching@gmail.comor better yet call me at 843 589-9236

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