This past Sunday, we reflected on Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
You can download the sermon HERE.
We referenced Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s work, Life Together, and wanted to post the fuller quote. He offers seven principles for eradicating selfish ambition from Christian communities. Christians, he says, should:
Hold their tongues, refusing to speak uncharitably about a Christian brother;
Cultivate the humility that comes from understanding that they, like Paul, are the greatest sinners and can only live in God’s sight by his grace;
Listen “long and patiently” so that they will understand their fellow Christian’s need;
Refuse to consider their time and calling so valuable that they cannot be interrupted to help with unexpected needs, no matter how small or menial';
Bear the burden of their brothers and sisters in the Lord, both by preserving their freedom and by forgiving their sinful abuse of that freedom;
Declare God’s word to their fellow believers when they need to hear it;
Understand that Christian authority is characterized by service and does not call attention to the person who performs the service
[Bonhoeffer, Life Together, 90-109; taken from the NIV Application Commentary - Philippians, 107]