Make it a Priority to Lift Others

Daily Devotional

Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

The best way to lift up yourself is to lift up others. Elevate others by highlighting their strengths and giving attention to serving them.

Jesus’s ministry was based on lifting up others. His works of healing and deliverance were never done for his benefit that is why he repeatedly told those he helped to tell no one that it was He who did it. Similarly, the work he did on the cross was to lift up all humanity, not for His glory. David practiced the principle of lifting up others: he esteemed Saul as God’s anointed, even though he too was God’s anointed he did not talk about that, he elevated Saul in the eyes of others by referring to him as God’s anointed.

One reason we may not be inclined to lift up others is because we may harbor the thinking that lifting up others makes us look less. To the contrary, lifting up others does not make you less, it positions you for more.  The Shunammite woman lifted up Elisha and was rewarded with more. Rahab lifted up the two spies and her entire family was saved. Ruth lifted up Naomi and became part of the lineage of Jesus. These are accounts of ordinary people who lifted up others and became more as a result.

Philippians 2:3-4 tells us 2 ways in which we should lift up others. First it says to esteem others better than yourselves; what it is suggesting is that you identify and highlight the strengths of others far more often than you talk about yourself. The second thing that it states is to “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. What it prescribes is to not to be only focused on things that benefit you, give attention to serve the needs of others.

Start your journey to become more by making it a priority to lift up others.

Life Application: Frequently highlight the strengths of others in your environment and give attention to serving their needs.

Prayer: Lord, you have demonstrated the ultimate selflessness on the cross. Help us to esteem others more than we do over selves. Help us to lift others instead of tearing them down. In Jesus name, amen.