Our readers are all, no doubt, very familiar with the beautiful passage in Philippians 2 which tells of the humility and lowliness and the subsequent exaltation of our blessed Saviour. It will be instructive to consider the circumstances which led the inspired apostle to pen these touching lines.
In chapter I of the Epistle to the Philippians, the apostle expresses thanks to God for the fellowship of the Philippian saints in the gospel (verses 3 to 5) and also notes their affection toward him (verse 7, JND translation). These things are summed up in the first verse of chapter 2:"If [or since] there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, …" Yes, all these things were evident in the Philippian saints and the apostle could well rejoice in them. But one thing was yet lacking:"Fulfill [or fill full] ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" (verse 2). The spirit of love and fellowship which the Philippians displayed to Paul was evidently lacking toward one another.
There was strife and vain glory found among them, and so the exhortation is given:"In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." Let us meditate upon these words and allow them to search out the thoughts and intents of our hearts. How contrary to the old nature, to self, is the thought that we should esteem others better than self. How often do our poor selfish hearts search out and magnify the weaknesses and failings of our brother just so that we might feel more at ease with our own faults.
The force of verse 3 has been expressed quite well by another writer:"When the heart is thoroughly lowly, walking with Christ, and delighting in Christ, he thinks himself a poor creature with nothing but the grace of Christ to think of, and never sees anything but defects in himself. . . . But when he looks at his brother, he sees all the grace Christ has poured unto him. What the Christian sees is Christ in his brother, and all the good qualities in him. … I detect the grace in my brother, and I do not see the evil at work in his heart; but I do see it in my own. … I see in my brother all the gentleness, graciousness, courage, faithfulness; and in myself all the defects. … It cannot be otherwise if the heart is [fixed] on Christ" (J. N. Darby, "The Book of Experience" in Collected Writings, Volume 27).
The Philippian saints were not getting along with one another. Thoughts of self-importance were hindering the outflow of love and grace to each other. And as long as we go on with the desire (whether conscious or unconscious) to make something of self_to promote self in the eyes of men_we will continually find (so it will seem to us) our brethren falling short of our own fancied spirituality.
How precious it is, then, to have the example of our Lord brought before us as the great secret of deliverance from these strivings of self. How much it is needed that each of us allow that mind which was in Christ Jesus to take hold of us. May we each have the mind of Him who "emptied Himself . . . humbled Himself" (Philippians 2:7,8, JND trans.). Blessed results will naturally flow from this:we will "think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul" (verse 2)