The end result

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Living with joy”

Our Bible verse for today: “For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “The end result”

Let me ask you: That example I told you about yesterday, the one about the wife and the way she sacrificially served her disabled husband, did that inspire you?” And if so, how do you feel about that woman? What do you think about her?” If you’re like me, then you were inspired by that story and it left you thinking highly of the wife, maybe wanting to be a little more like that in your own life.

We don’t engage in acts of humble service so that people will think highly of us – that would be the wrong motive. We do it out of love for God and for others. We do it because of a genuine desire to be a blessing to others and because we want to be more like Jesus. But as followers of Jesus, the inevitable result of such conduct on our part will be that others will notice, it will enhance our reputation with them, it may inspire them, and it will bring honor and glory to God.

And before you start feeling skittish about the notion of enhancing your own reputation with other people let me quickly remind you Who you represent. If you are a Christian then you represent the Lord Jesus Christ. So, when people consider your reputation, that’s a reflection on the Jesus you follow.

Also, as we’ve learned in previous devotionals on this subject, acts of humble service are a source of joy for us and for others. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy His humble and selfless act would ultimately produce for himself and for others. (For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross …) Our acts of humility and sacrifice produce joy for us and for others, and they bring honor to the Jesus we follow and serve.

One thing to understand, as Paul explained in Philippians 2:9-11, because Jesus humbly submitted to the will of the Father, and because He sacrificially served others, it was God Himself who exalted Jesus and lifted Him up in the opinion of others. Likewise, if your genuine humble attitude and your selfless acts of service result in an enhanced reputation for you in the eyes of others, it is God’s will for it to be so. He has lifted you up in the eyes of others. And because people know that you are a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, your good reputation brings honor and glory to Him.

The end result of genuine humility and selfless acts of sacrificial service is that it brings joy to you, it brings joy to those you serve, and it brings honor and glory to the God you belong to.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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