Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had (Philippians 2:3–5, NLT).
Yesterday I thought I had my day planned. My goal was to tackle my to-do list and work on some freelance projects I was behind on. All that changed when I received a call from a teen mom who’d recently given birth. She had a doctor’s appointment and needed a ride. Even though I had my plans, I felt nudged to lay down my interests for hers.
What started as one appointment turned into an all-day affair. The young mom asked to come to my house to use my computer to research some school reports. Then she asked if she could use my camera so she could get photos of her newborn. They were just simple things, really. How could I say no?
Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the needs of others, and it makes me consider how Jesus must have felt. He had crowds following Him, demanding His time. They wanted answers. They wanted to be healed. If Jesus—who was the Son of God—had an attitude of service and humility, should my attitude be any less?
It’s easy to complete a task; it’s harder to impact a life. Marking another project off my to-do list won’t matter for eternity. People matter most. When that young mom looks at those photos of her baby in years to come, hopefully she’ll remember our day and remember that there are those who love her with the love of Jesus.
FAITH STEP: Has someone asked you for help recently? Put down your interests and reach out to help that person, asking God to help you take on the attitude of Jesus Christ.
Written by Tricia Goyer
