Christ-like Humility

For a couple of days, I (and a bit of hubby too) have been rather unhappy, peeved about some people's attitude and behaviour. In a nutshell, it was the disrespectful, immature, irresponsible and unappreciative attitude of some individuals that put us off accumulatively over a few days.

We know that we should and must forgive them and pray for them, just as God forgives us time and time again as we tell Him to shoo off every so often. But being human, it is not easy to do so... only by the grace of God that I will be able to do so. Last night's bible study, I was reminded of how the person of Jesus is and what He has done for me -

Philippians 2:1-11

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What a timely reminder for me (us) that what we do should not be for ourselves and our own interests but for the others' interests. I pray that we be humble to readily embrace God's word and live out the "Jesus attitude" so that we will not be feeling unappreciated, for we should be doing things to obtain God's approval and not men's. I must be gracious towards the people that I minister to even when they do not reciprocate it and not think "why aren't I being appreciated?" As for the disrespectful, immature and irresponsible behaviour, I could only but pray for them.... Lord, please help me to be humble and forgive, and especially to those who do not yet know You.... May our behaviour lead them to you and I pray that we have been good testimonies of You to them.