Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Phil. 2:3)
I’m usually pretty good at considering others better than myself. I look for ways to encourage friends and family and figure out how to stretch the family budget so we can help those less fortunate. But I must admit I altered this rule when it applied to those in my house.
Instead of humbly serving my husband, I kept track of who did what. “I cooked dinner, so you need to clean up,” I’d tell him. But I’ve been changing my stance, and as a result, most everything else has changed. Rather than keeping score, I just serve him, recognizing that his contributions are much different than mine. The strife that once reigned is nearly nonexistent as we both gratefully appreciate what the other does.
But something even greater has happened. Instead of being on different teams, we’re now working together. In the process, we’re discovering what it means to be “one in spirit and purpose.” We’re now free to encourage and support each other in our callings. We’ve encountered trying times with more grace and self-control than ever before thanks to the assistance of the other.
Philippians 2:3 doesn’t offer a loophole. We must consider others better than ourselves, even the others in our own homes!
Humbly consider your spouse better than yourself.
Stacy Voss loves to run, play with her two young kids, and hike in the mountains with her husband outside their home in Colorado.
