Philippians 2:5; Mindset

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”

Read that verse again…nice and slow.  Do you have a purpose for your relationships?  A purpose for your relationship with your parents?  Your siblings?  Your roommate?  Your boyfriend/girlfriend?  Your co-workers?  Your boss? 

Paul says our relationships should be purposeful.  Not that we have ulterior motives for befriending people, but that we are intentional with the relationships we have.  The purpose is the same for all of our relationships: to demonstrate the mindset of Christ. 

That will look different in each relationship, but in general, we should follow the example of Christ and love others through humble service.  A few practical questions to get you thinking about purposeful relationships:

“How can God use me for His glory in this relationship?”

“Does this person have a relationship with Jesus?”

“What needs does this person have that I can meet for God’s glory?”

“How can I encourage this person to grow closer to Jesus?

In our relationships, we should seek God’s will/glory and then the needs of the other person.  We shouldn’t seek what we can get out of a relationship (which is exactly what we often do); we trust that God will fulfill our needs so we are free to meet the needs of others.

Something for you to chew on until next time…