Marshall, our goat, is a greedy goat. Whenever I throw scraps or take treats into the corral, he rushes ahead of everyone else and gobbles down as much as he can as quickly as he can. When Frank, the horse, and Lily and Agnes, our other two goats, arrive, he pushes and shoves them away, while still frantically gobbling tidbits. If I am not careful, he will not hesitate to bowl me over in his pursuit of what I may have in my pocket or hand. He never stops to consider the interests of the others in the corral. He thinks only of himself. But then again, he is a goat.

We, however, are not goats, and thus should not act like goats, greedy and concerned only about ourselves. Here is what God calls us to do:

Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (NIV)

Mmmm, now that is really a truth worth thinking about, isn't it! For such a truth challenges us to take time each and every day to think of someone other than ourselves and to consider all that we may be doing and whom it is benefitting: ourselves and only ourselves? Or ourselves as well as others?

It even challenges us to consider others better than ourselves. Wow! Now there's a summons to stop us in our tracks. After all, who of us automatically considers that the views or ways of others might be better than our own views and ways of doing things?

Yet, this is what God calls us to do, every day. And the only way that we can possibly do this is, as today's verse says, "but in humility …".

Humility stands back. Humility doesn't rush forward and assert itself to get the best for itself. Humility has enough faith to know that God will provide all our needs as we consider the needs of others first, just as Christ did, when He chose to humble Himself, leave the glories of heaven, and become obedient to death — even death on a cross — in service to fallen mankind: including you and me.

In the end, humility lifts us up. It lifts us up out of our sin when we trust Christ as our Saviour and Lord. It keeps lifting us up as we obey Him, for by doing so we become more like Him, which in turn transforms us to be able to consider not only our own interests but the interests of others, each day. Humility turns us from greedy goats into the sheep of God's pasture. As children of the King, we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, invite the stranger in, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison.

In the very end, when the Son of Man comes in His glory and all His angels with Him, it leads us into the gates of eternity and the reward that awaits the humble of heart.

Prayer: Lord, continue to motivate each of us toward humility by spurring us on to obedience in You. Help us to offer our hearts and minds and wills afresh to You each and every morning, knowing that Your ways and thoughts are far superior to ours and are worthy of our humble obedience, which in turn transforms us to consider not only our own interests but the interests of others as well. In Christ's name, we ask. Amen.

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About the author:

Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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