"A Proper Perspective"

Southern Hills Baptist Church

November 3rd 2002

Philippians 2:3-4

“A proper motivation”

By Pastor Mark Hensley

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Introduction: Lauren Zalaznick was in the late 1990’s the unstoppable and high-achieving vice-president at VH 1, a music video television company here in the United States. She produced top rating program after program. She had an automatic invite to any music party or recording in the country. She was held in high regard. Then, after about five years, she felt she was losing her edge and decided to resign.

As you might imagine, Lauren was somewhat anxious about her decision to quit. Did she do the right thing? Would she regret it? Would she be able to find another job as good as this one?

The one day her sister gave her some advice that changed her perspective. She told Lauren to imagine herself in 50 years time. At that point in her life this job was going to be a single sentence which began ’In the early part of my career,’ followed by a few words and a full stop. And then there will be 14 paragraphs about what Lauren really did with her life. Source: Reported in New York Times Magazine, September 9, 2001

Transition: At that point in her life this job was going to be a single sentence which began ’In the early part of my career,’ followed by a few words and a full stop.

We need a “Proper Perspective” about what matters most in life and the Apostle Paul will instruct us today about what God expects. When we know that, when we live like that we can look back on our lives with a sense of real accomplishment!

Philippians 2: 3-4

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

A proper perspective affects:

Why we do what we do.

The way we treat others.

The interest we show in others.

I.Why we do what we do: 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility

Ambition properly channeled can be a wonderful driving influence! Ambition in itself is not a bad thing! I remember being a College freshman and in a student assembly the President asked that we look to the person to our right, then the person to our left…he then said “statistically only one of you will finish College!

I determined that fall day in 1979 that I would!

You are a better person today because you made a conscious decision to achieve not to settle… to dream your castles in the sky and then you went out and built foundations under them!

If you’re here today and you do not feel like a success in life, I am here to remind you that as a Christian you are a child of the king! You have royal blood coursing through your veins! Paul isn’t admonishing God’s people to be slovenly lazy or mediocre when he writes “3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility”

Were to have ambition…ambition that is properly directed and channeled!

And humility should characterize our lives! “But in humility”

A pastor was given an award for humility. A week later, the congregation took the award back because the pastor displayed it in his office!

Humility is not meant to be put on display. Humility is not downplaying one’s strengths and gifts. Humility is not low self-worth. Humility does not think of oneself more highly than he ought to think. Humility is aware of the good and strengths in others.

A young Pastor preached a stirring message and one of the deacons told him “Your one of the great young preachers in America” After church He was just able to squeeze his head in the door of the car. He told his wife what the deacon had said…no response. He said honey “how many great young preachers do you think there are in America”? She said “one less than you think!

Remember: Humility is not meant to be put on display. Humility is not downplaying one’s strengths and gifts. Humility is not low self-worth. Humility does not think of oneself more highly than he ought to think. Humility is aware of the good and strengths in others.

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility