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putting others first



Must of what I am sharing today was first posted on my blog in 2006, but it remains true today.  Jesus said if we want to be first that we better get comfortable with last place.  He also said that the greatest person will be the servant.

Philippians 2:3 (MSG)
"Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead."  

Jesus said it.  He lived it as well.  It really is a pretty simple way of loving a person.  Would you agree?  Through the years I have heard people use this pattern: JOY --- Jesus, Others and You.  Here are just a few pieces of this important puzzle God put in front of us:

lift up your friend  (Eccl 4:10)

loves at all the time   (Prov 17:17)

speak encouraging words to one another   (1 Thess 5:11)

build up one another  (1 Thess 5:11)

serve one another  (Gal 5:13)

confess your sins to each other  (James 5:16)

pray for one another   (James 5:16)

speak the truth in love  (Eph 4:15)

put on a heart of compassion  (Col 3:12)

sharpen one another  (Prov 27:17)

be good friends, devoted to one another  (Romans 12:10)

do not judge one another   (Romans 14:13)

welcome one another  (Romans 15:7)

accept one another  (Romans 15:7)

be courteously reverent to one another  (Eph 5:21)

be content with second place  (Col 3:13)

forgive each other  (Col 3:13)

whoever wants to be great must become a servant  (Mark 10:43)

I learned the following definition of love a very long time ago and must be reminded often: Love gives to others without ever thinking what you might get back.

Others ... an acrostic to close with from that word, "Others":

going OUT of your way

TO

HELP

EVERYONE be

REFRESHED by our

SAVIOR

May God help us serve others and think of others before we think of ourselves.  The motivational speaker Zig Zilgar says it this way: “You can have anything you WANT in life if you will help enough other people get what they WANT”

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