Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11
Our goal as followers of Jesus is to learn to share his thoughts and do his deeds. In Philippians 2, Paul describes the humility Jesus demonstrated in leaving heaven to come as a servant and literally to die.
Teachability, humility, is one of the most important qualities a person can have. People who are teachable listen well to God; they work well with others; they build others up. They help us to see that the mission is about God and our focus is to be watching out for others.
Humility often grows out of adversity. We will learn in EPIC about how God takes people through times of trial that brings a new grace and strength to their leadership.
In EPIC, we will talk about the role brokenness plays in our lives. As you think about your life, what hard experiences have shaped your faith and life? How is God using those experiences to shape your character? Ask God to give you a humble and receptive spirit so that you can be available to be used for his purposes.
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