Putting Others First
Selfishness is a subtle reason we don’t see more miracles. It is not always convenient to minister to someone in need. It wasn’t always convenient for Jesus, either. When He got news that John the Baptist (one of His relatives!) had been murdered in cold blood, He went off by Himself for some “alone time,” as most of us probably would have done. But people who needed healing followed Him. Rather than being moved by His emotions and sending them away, He was moved with compassion and He healed them. These miracles wouldn’t have happened if Jesus weren’t willing to put others first, even while going through turmoil in His own life.
Matthew 14:13-14:
When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
We are commanded to look out for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4:
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Paul isn’t commanding you to hate yourself, put yourself down or completely ignore yourself. Jesus made it clear that you are to love others as you love yourself.
Matthew 22:39:
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
This isn’t talking about the disgusting false humility exhibited by people who can’t handle sincere compliments. Ever tell a singer, “Your singing really blessed me” only to hear, “All glory to God, none to me, I’m nothing” or something similar? A truly humble person could say, “Thank you, I’m glad it blessed you” or something along those lines. Trashing yourself is not humble at all; it’s doing the devil’s work for him. If you’re proud of how humble you are, you’re just proud, not humble!
Neither does this suggest going to the extreme of burning yourself out for others as Epaphroditus did (Philippians 2:25-30). (I don’t see that as an issue among most Christians today!)
Having a mindset of putting others first can make all the difference between success and failure. It also ensures that you do things that reap eternal rewards. No one in heaven will be rewarded for receiving other people’s time, money and effort, but when you give, you are laying up treasure in heaven that will be on your record forever.
Matthew 6:19-20:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
“Living to give” is an important mindset that is too rare today. Most Christians are consumed with their own issues in life. For example, they are focused only on making enough money for themselves to be comfortable. Here is a radical Scripture that contradicts that mindset:
Ephesians 4:28:
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Here Paul exhorts us to have a motivation to obtain money so that we can bless others. BEING a blessing is superior to RECEIVING a blessing. It is interesting that Paul exhorts Christians not to steal! I believe the reason for this is contained in the words but rather. Instead of stealing, work with your hands. I believe the point is that if you live off public assistance when you are able to work, you are stealing. This is true even if you are in a “nanny state” where it is actually better for you financially to not work rather than work (at least temporarily). You are stealing from those who do work and pay taxes to support your sinful laziness. God will bless the work of your hands but He won’t bless welfare payments. And of course, “receive only” mode is the opposite mindset from the one Christians are commanded to have! If you need temporary help, there is no condemnation, but your goal should be to be employed (if you are able to work) and then be a blessing to others.
Acts 20:35:
I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
This mindset bucks the “It’s all about YOU!” mindset in our culture. Advertisers in particular are adept at appealing to selfishness – because it WORKS! A life that is all about YOU is a pitiful existence that is ultimately unfulfilling. How can anything the opposite of what Scripture commands ever fulfill you? God didn’t create you to be selfish. As a born-again believer, your true nature is God’s nature and God is a giver! A selfish mindset is one that caves to the flesh instead of reflecting your true nature.
Here are some other things Jesus thought that you should also think:
Matthew 20:25-28:
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
John 15:13:
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Do not whine, “But I have nothing to give!” If you are a sower, God will provide seed for you. If you are only a taker, no such promise applies to you.
2 Corinthians 9:10:
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
If money is short, you can still sow time. When my computer business was new, I didn’t have much money to give, but I sowed my time and talents doing free computer work for churches and ministry organizations. God blessed this and within a year I tripled my income. Then I was in a position to bless others financially as well. God keeps His promise to multiply seed sown. I sowed free computer work and reaped paid computer work.
When we encounter needs, we have a choice to think “Oh well, it must stink to be you” or “What can I do to help?” That difference can determine if you see miracles or not. Most of us encounter people “out and about” who are having problems. Will we be moved with compassion as Jesus was even when it doesn’t suit our personal convenience? I have seen the God move on people in stores and parking lots because I took the time to minister to them by the power of the Holy Spirit rather than thinking, “You know, I’m in a hurry to get this stuff and I don’t need this distraction right now.” People received from God who would not have received anything if I hadn’t yielded to my born-again nature’s “others first” mindset.
I wonder how many miracles we miss because we aren’t willing to be inconvenienced.
Preoccupation with yourself also leads to the thinking, “What will people think about ME?” The devil likes to paint a picture on the canvas of your mind of you failing and other people all noting your failure in derision. The idea is then, “Don’t do anything so you don’t FAIL and embarrass yourself!” This thinking will choke miracles by getting you focused on yourself so that you back off and never try anything. This is another reason why “others first” is an essential mindset if you’re ever going to amount to anything in God’s kingdom.
If things aren’t happening for us in the ministry, we need to consider that it may not be the devil blocking us – it may be our own selfishness! The good news is that we can deal with that and become more effective.
In closing, let me deflate a couple of “cop-outs.”
First, forget the idea that you can leave the spiritual things to other people who are called to full-time ministry. God uses ordinary people like you. Stephen, Philip, Ananias (the good one, not one of the two bad ones) and the unnamed believers in Acts 11:19-21 were “ordinary people” and God used them powerfully! Of these, Philip is the only one we know of who later stood in a ministry office (Acts 21:8). BELIEVERS can do the works Jesus did (John 14:12).
Second, forget the idea that the person you meet who has a need probably won’t want to hear the good news from you anyway, so why bother? That isn’t fair to the other person. Don’t sell anyone short like that. If the person doesn’t want your help, nothing will happen, but there is no downside there because it is certain nothing will happen if you don’t offer any help! What if the person surprises you and DOES let you help and you get to witness a miracle? It will have been worth any inconvenience.