Better than you

God isn’t looking for a selfish heart. He is looking for a servants heart.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. — Philippians 2:3

It wasn’t so long ago that I was doing something and was quickly put into my “place.” I was speaking with someone about some work that I had done in the past. The person had shared some of their prior experiences with me, then asked me what I had done in the past.

I started sharing how I spent many years working as a paramedic. I continued sharing how I used to travel the country, managing locations in many different states. Then, in the middle of my story, they interrupted and started to tell me how they had done more.

If you are like me, you occasionally have situations like this in life as well, when someone tries to explain how they are most experienced or well versed than you are. There are many times it feels as though they are trying to say that they are better than you. If we are honest, that could certainly be true.

It is in these moments that I often find myself struggling. I often want to argue with them, or try to prove a point with them. But then I’m reminded of the words of this verse. Being better than someone else isn’t what God would have me to do.

In humility, God wants us to treat others more highly than we treat ourselves. He wants us to put others first, as in a servant mindset. That’s challenging to do in this world as we are always told to be self-serving first. But God isn’t looking for a selfish heart. He is looking for a servants heart. He is looking for someone who is willing to put others first and share the love of God with them in all that they do.