Think of Others

By: Lisa Boisvert

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

The bible warns us not to puff ourselves up. It also says we should think better of others than ourselves. However, the world teaches us the opposite. We are living in an age where countless books, articles, and podcasts emphasize the value of self-importance. Secular counselors tell us we must always "look out for #1" before valuing anyone else.

But Christ followers are called to be different. Our standards don't come from the world; they are set by God. Jesus is our best example of humility, so we must practice "Jesus-like" humility whenever we are in the world. We hold doors open for strangers. We say please and thank you to the people we meet. We compliment others on their achievements and their appearance. Hopefully, we are kind and considerate in everything we do.

But we can't just practice humility and think of others outside our homes, we must do those things inside our homes too! Home is where we feel most comfortable, so it's often the place that our sin nature rears its ugly self-absorbed head.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Let’s be honest... We are more comfortable snapping at our spouses, children, and parents than we are with strangers. If we aren't careful, it's easy to forget that our loved ones deserve the same courtesy, respect, and kindness we extend to outsiders. Additionally, (hopefully) our biological family members are also our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is an area we must examine ourselves. When dealing with our family, are our words unnecessarily harsh, judgmental, or sarcastic? When we get stressed, are our words hurtful to others? Are the words coming from our mouths building others up or cutting them down?

When I did a self-inventory of my behavior, I realized I was coming up short. How about you? If you've realized you're coming up short like I did, don't get discouraged! When the Holy Spirit helps us become aware of an area that needs attention, we can take them to the Lord and ask Him for help.

Jesus never asks us to do the impossible. But to change our behavior we'll need to rely on Him. But be encouraged, with God's help, we can do this!