Something to Think About: Everyone

Something to Think About: Everyone

Reflections by Dr. Chuck Cluff, Atherton resident since 2004

Philippians 2:3
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”

God never has just his own interests in mind. God’s mind is always outreaching. God has everyone under consideration: All doing OK and having fulfilled lives. Everyone being content and happy is ever in God’s thoughts and plans. God’s love embraces all those around us, everyone everywhere.

Like God we should not think just about ourselves. A big step in growth is when we transition inward focus to outward focus; When we pray for everyone as we pray for ourselves. When what we want of God’s blessings we want for everyone else too. Jesus seemed to always be immersed in the lives of those around him. I doubt he spent much time praying for himself. His constant reliance on his father’s provision made self prayer practically unnecessary, however he did feel the need to bring people around him to God’s attention.

We worry about ourselves until we feel safe. When we feel safe we are more apt to pay attention to the plights of others. In an airplane if there is an emergency and the oxygen masks drop down the travelers are advised to first put on their own before helping another. This is particularly important for parents. They have to be functioning at their best to adequately help their children. Jesus was so sure God was with him it looked as if he took God for granted. When we are secure in God and we know he is right at hand for anything we need we can take his presence for granted too, and reach out to totally focus on others: how they are doing, how we can help them. This is actually what faith is; knowing God is always there and thus not having to spend time reassuring ourselves of God’s faithfulness to us.

Too much self contemplation distorts how we see and fit into all of God’s family. There has to be a balance between self and other awareness. It seems early in our faith the self gets most the attention. As we grow that attention evolves from the self to embrace those around us with love as we desire to help their lives be better.