“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33).
Our world is, in the vernacular, a “dog eat dog” world. The Darwinian approach to life is “the survival of the fittest.” That can easily creep into church life because it is such a general view of our culture.
Paul’s view of the Christian life was the opposite of that. He believed that we are placed here to put others first. He not only practiced that philosophy in his own life, he reinforced it with every opportunity. Believers don’t live with a “what’s in it for me” outlook on life; they live to lift other people so they can experience the salvation that comes through Jesus.
We want to live in a way that serves others. Paul wrote as much to the Philippian church: “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:4). I don’t need to be told to look out for my own interests. That comes naturally. To look out for the interests of others is to be guided by the supernatural change that comes through faith in Jesus.
