Paul had a great affection for the Philippian church. He had been imprisoned by the Romans there and was warmly cared for. His first recorded baptism, the businesswoman Lydia, was at the local river. Yet the Philippians were not without issues.
Philippi was a very proud city. They were proud of their Roman citizenship, proud of their history and proud of their culture. Philip II, Alexander the Great’s dad, gave the city his name. Philip deified and exalted himself, creating a hero cult. A large heroon, a shrine exalting a hero, was built there with Philip on top. In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, bigger was better. To be stronger, richer, or more beautiful meant you were more valuable and more important. Philip made sure everyone knew that he was at the top of the pyramid.
It was to the church in this city that Paul wrote about humility. Jesus, the greatest who ever lived, flipped the pyramid and put himself on the bottom and served everyone else.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very natureof a servant, being made in human likeness. and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8
And Paul reminds them that their prize is in Jesus; their boasting is in Him, And it is to His kingdom they owe their citizenship.
But our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians 3:20
As believers, we are not tied to earthly success and goals or even to influential identities. I need a constant reminder of Whose I am. My example is Jesus and my strength is the Spirit. I might not be erecting a statue of marble to elevate myself but I need to reflect on things I am tempted to build for my own gratification – a name, a legacy, safety or security. Like the Philippians, people today exalt those who seem grand. The world climbs over the weak to get to the top. But I am a citizen of Heaven, and I strive for the upside down (or maybe the right side up) Kingdom built on Sacrifice and Love. Jesus humbled Himself. Help me, too.
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
