Philippians 2:3-4 says to
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others."
I first understood this to mean that I naturally come last in the order of who's wants and needs get the priority. But that's not exactly what it says. The words "not only" are staring me in the face--actually the one word ONLY. I've been overlooking that one word for close to 16 years.
Of course there have been many times when I've looked to my own interest, but when I've convinced myself that I'm not as valuable or my interests are not as valuable as my children or my husband, then I've begun to believe an outright lie. I've been living with that lie for too long! The truth is that my interests are valuable. The truth is that I AM valuable. The truth is that YOU are valuable, too!
So this past year for me has been the beginning of asking the questions: "What do I want?" "What are my interests?" And most of all recognizing that I and my interests are as valuable as my kids' or my husbands' even as a stay-at-home-mother of four. Not more valuable or more important but AS valuable and AS important.
How about you? Do you know that YOU and YOUR interests are as valuable to God as others in your life?
So....What do YOU want?
Do you know?
Stay tuned for more to unfold.....
~Wendie Beddingfield
