Weekly Devotional: Putting Others First

“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 his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4)

College can make us selfish. We spend a lot of our time thinking about what we’re going to do with our lives, what jobs we need to get, what we are going to do this weekend or even what we’re going to eat for dinner. In the midst of this mindset of thinking of what we need to accomplish, we often don’t think of others.

The Bible commands us to “consider others better than” ourselves. It also says we should not only look at our own interests and lives but also the interests and lives of others. While college is a good time to discover who you are, it is also a great opportunity to get into the habit of thinking of others.

We are called to be humble, lowering ourselves so that God can be glorified. Serving others is a great way to do this. When we go out of our way to help someone, people take notice. In a world that praises the individual and personal achievement, is it becoming more and more rare that people look out for anyone other than themselves.

When we think of others, it can be in small, simple ways, like bringing someone coffee in the morning or sending a friend a nice card. The act itself does not have to be much; it’s the act of thinking of someone else before yourself that matters. This can also be seen in being considerate of others. Maybe you know your roommate is having friends over later, so you clean up the apartment for them without her even asking for help. Little things like this go a long way and can improve your character and mindset.

Thinking of the needs of others can even extend to those you don’t know. Helping people in your community and around the world can be done by donating money, food or time. Perhaps instead of using your paycheck to go shopping, you instead donate it to families in need. Maybe you are really busy with school work, but you take the time to go volunteer at the homeless shelter. Thinking of the benefit you can give others before you benefit yourself is vitally important in showing God’s love to the world.

Grand Canyon University is committed to serving God and serving others. If you would like to learn more about GCU’s Christian identity and heritage or would like to read more devotionals please visit our website or click the Request More Information button on this page.