Discipleship Week 9: Pay It Forward

Philippians 2:1-4

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Paul’s exhortation in these verses is about giving of ourselves to others. Specifically, his argument is this: If you have received any blessing as a Christian, you have an obligation to pass that along to others. There are many who have selflessly invested in our own spiritual lives; many who have encouraged us, challenged us, comforted us, and pointed us to God even in the most difficult of circumstances. Personally, I can say that the list of blessings I have received as a follower of Christ is extensive, and the list of people I have received those blessings from is equally extensive.

But the Christian life is not just about receiving those blessings, it is about passing those blessings onto others. In other words, pay it forward. If you have been loved and encouraged in your Christian life, you need to love and encourage others. You cannot just receive. And the heart behind passing these blessings on to others requires selflessness on our part. We can’t be a blessing to others if we are focused only on ourselves. This is why Paul bluntly admonishes us to count others more important than ourselves. And this short passage is sandwiched in between two beautiful illustrations of radical selflessness. In 1:29 Paul describes how the key to gospel living is suffering, coming to an end of yourself, and completely dying to yourself. And 2:5-11 is a beautiful poem about Christ’s selfless and humbling sacrifice for us. And so if we are to pass on the blessings we have received, we cannot have selfishness dominating our heart. D.A. Carson says it this way:

“We owe love and encouragement to others because we have received so much. Above all, we owe this kind of character and stance to others because we profess to follow Christ Jesus, and that, supremely, is his character and stance. It is always deeply disturbing to find some professed Christians, members of the church, who think only of what they get. What a pathetically Christ-denying attitude! Give and give and give. We are called not only to enjoy the comforts of the gospel but also to pass them on.”  -D.A. Carson, Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians

Give and give and give. May we follow Christ’s example as well as the example of those who have blessed us.

1. What are ways you have been blessed as a Christian? Who has given those blessings to you?

2. Are you more selfish or selfless? How does that impact how you view your world and the people around you? And how does selfishness keep you from blessing others in the same way you have been blessed?

3. What are some practical ways this week that you can sacrificially and selflessly give of yourself to others? What are ways that you can count others as more significant than yourself?