Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.
Philippians 2:3Philippians 2:3
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
3 Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.
WP-Bible plugin
“Hello, my name is Annie and I’ll be your server today.” How many times do we have that experience (substitute various names for servers) on a regular basis? Whether you’re at a 5 star restaurant or the drive-thru at McDonald’s, each time you interact with a server, you have the opportunity to flesh out the verse above.
“Front desk, how may I help you?” Whether it’s the Marriott or Motel 6, every time you utilize public lodging, you have the opportunity to model the verse above.
“Do you have your bonus card or any coupons with you today?” As your first item makes it’s way from the conveyor belt to the bar-code scanner, you are faced with yet another chance to remember these ancient words…“In humility, consider others better than yourself.”
I have been out to eat with people who profess to know Jesus who treat the wait staff despicably! After taking the time to bow and pray before digging into their appetizer, they proceed to discharge orders and bark requests at their servers as if we were living under some sort of class system! From complaining about the difference between medium and medium rare to not getting their fourth beverage refill in a reasonable amount of time to sometimes even making critical comments under their breath about the waiters personality, I’ve seen it all and then some. It is amazing how much liberty one can take when wielding the power of “the tip.” However, I don’t think that just because we walk into an establishment where table service or check-out service is provided, that we are exempt from considering others better than ourselves!
Just because an employee at a service establishment may be on a lower pay scale than you, doesn’t entitle you to treat them as being less valuable than you. After all, they are no less valuable in God’s eyes. Romans 2:11Romans 2:11
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
11 . God doesn't have any favorites!
WP-Bible plugin makes that abundantly clear when it says, “For God does not show favoritism.” Everyone is equal in God’s sight and there is nothing anyone can do to make themselves more valuable to God, or less. He loves all of us the same, and though He is perfectly divine, He modeled what it is to consider others better than Himself. Let’ read on in Philippians 2, verses 5-8…
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
What a concept, giving up one’s privileges and volitionally taking on a more humble role in order to serve others. When we are faced with the opportunity to be served, we must be very careful not to abuse that situation. We should remain humble and remember that Jesus Himself came to earth, not to be served, but rather to serve. (Matthew 20:28Matthew 20:28
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
28 The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue x rescue: The Greek word often, though not always, means the payment of a price to free a slave or a prisoner. many people.
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We are most like Christ when we’re taking on the role of the servant, not the served! So, here are a few practical tips to help us all keep things in perspective:
- When out in public, remember we are constantly being watched, especially by those who know we proclaim to be followers of Christ. Represent Him well! Even if you have a problem with your order or your bill or the number of towels in your room, handle the matter with humility and grace and remember that the way you address the situation will speak as loudly to the servers as any sermon they might hear.
- Be extra kind to anyone who serves you. They often find themselves in a thankless profession, and your words of encouragement and affirmation may be the only ones they hear all day.
- Tip your servers well. Don’t be a tight wad and try to find any reason possible to short-change them, give them a decent tip just because you want to share Jesus’ love with them, not because of how well they met your needs. The people you encounter as you do your daily commerce are your mission field! You may never go overseas to reach a foreign people group, but you walk through the doors to stores and restaurants and hotels and airports all the time. See that as your field to spread the gospel for Christ!
- Do things seemingly above and beyond the call of duty:
- Leave a note in your next hotel room personally thanking the housekeeping staff for their work. Sign it on behalf of your family and tell them how the Lord blessed you through them! (Wasn’t having a clean room and nicely made bed a blessing?!)
- Ask your waiter/waitress how you can pray for them when they deliver your meal. Kindly inform them you are about to thank God for your food and ask if there is anything you can pray for them about. While some people will not know how to respond to this, most are very receptive and actually provide an answer and are highly appreciative.
- Say “Thank you” like you mean it. Make eye contact with your server, cashier, flight attendant, etc., and tell them how much you appreciate their service and how the job they did made your life easier.
- Seek out other ways where you can serve those who are serving you or others. The sky is the limit on how you can tangibly consider others better than yourself.
Remember, each of us is given the power to influence others. We are responsible for what we do with that influence. Tomorrow is a new day, and tonight isn’t over yet…see how you can next “consider others better than yourself!”
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