Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Philippians, Day 2 Readings

Christian Humility     

Today's reading continues Paul's encouragement to the Philippians, based on realizations from his imprisonment.  In this brief section, he suggests a practical way to build and strengthen the Christian community: be humble towards others in the way that Jesus himself was humble.  While Jesus was God, he decided to become human -- he worried less about being equal to God and instead about being an equal to other people.  This humble action was not about degrading himself, but rather about being able to help others in need.  For Jesus, this action would lead to his death on the cross.  For Christians, humility means focusing on the needs and desires of others, instead of selfishly worrying about ourselves.  In essences, this is the type of life that Paul has led since he became a Christian, and which he encourages others to live as well.

Read Philippians 1:27-2:11  (NIV)   (NRSV)   (CEB)
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety

If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Philippians 1:27-2:11 today.