Philippians 2:4 ESV
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
LOOK – Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages
look = meaning verb
1.
direct one’s gaze toward someone or something or in a specified direction.
“people were looking at him”
2.
think of or regard in a specified way.
“I look at tennis differently from some coaches”
1.
an act of directing one’s gaze in order to see someone or something.
“let me get a closer look”
Ok so here pay attention you see the word LOOK is a verb its a ACTION! This is something you would DO so when we are LOOKING doing the action it is to be directing, thinking and acting to GLORYIFY GOD AND HIS KINGDOM NOT REPEAT NOT about LOOKING –>direction, thinking and acting in our flesh only looking at our own needs we should direct, think and act to LOOK at others needs and interest where it helps others this is a way to GLORIFY GOD AND HIS KINGDOM. I’m not saying to never look at your needs or talk about them but our sole purpose in life is to share the interest of God and His Kingdom and that is share the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior and what He did at the Cross and to lead other people to Our Lord for their Salvation to really KNOW Him and not just know of Him and to be like Him (which one of those things to help others). I’m going to touch a little bit on the importance of the relationship with Christ it ties into helping others. Think about that difference a lot of people know His Name and that He was the one who died on the Cross but that’s where it stops for them they live a life without Him no ties to Him not in a deep connection or no true relationship where they spend time with Him, in the Word, no prayer life, no worshipping, or no praising other than living a life of LOOKING to their own needs and acting in that way they are lost to the world and all its pleasures and no way of knowing how to fight the enemy Satan and his attacks. They are fooled to believe they are okay without Him because they don’t even know what they are missing because they haven’t really LOOKED at Jesus and all HIS WAYS HIS LOVE. There are many scriptures that talking about the importance of why you should LOOK to HIM and to have a relationship with HIM and what happens when you don’t I will add scriptures at the bottom of this post about this). I for one learned from living a life without Him to understanding the importance of a true relationship with the Lord and I’m always still learning but I chase after it everyday. I can say I did realize life without Him was way harder when tough times hit I fell hard and I was more exhausted going round and round not changing anything deep within myself, my character, my ways, I was looking to my own ways in trying to fix any trials and tribulations all on my own and I was wore out mentally! But THEN I came to the Lord in desperation and lost I knew I needed something HIGHER than what the world could even offer. My ways no longer worked and after years of the same result which was NO CHANGE I surrendered to get to really know Christ and build my faith on the CROSS…it was not over night but I pursued this relationship with Him that many preached about and over time I began to start to heal and could see a change in my life. I could see my thoughts and actions and how I LOOKED (direct, think, act) at life and others. I was changing(keep in mind nothing is ever going to be perfect but you grow with the Lord and you see changes that effect your daily living that lessen the burdens you once carried so heavy! You get peace and rest with Him that no one thing or person could ever give you. And you are always learning everyday to stay changed for the better and how to keep these thoughts over your own. I know and understand who He is I have realized what it means to really know Him and how life today is with Him in it and I don’t want to ever go back to being without Him. I don’t fight the same with people(I don’t let others define mean or take me down I may hurt like anyone else if there is turmoil but I don’t stay defeated and in it for very long or at all).I don’t fight the same when faced with trials and tribulations meaning I’m not staying in the mindset full of worry unsettled for long periods or even at all. I get peace and His Love reminds to stay focused on Him. I know I went a little out of the script we are talking about helping others but I promise you it ties in you need to know Him have a relationship to understand the importance of helping others and being built up by Him to be a good servant for His Kingdom and not LOOKING or bragging that you did a good deed for show or in whatever way your boasting (of your flesh) because that won’t last and your character will be flawed and you won’t understand one of the great things that comes with helping others (there are many other lessons-character changing-rewards of the Lord -fruit/blessings—yes this too you get His Blessings because He loves those that Loves His Children) one is SACRIFICING for others. This is for sure a lesson to be helping others because sacrifice is giving up something to help others is giving of money sure that is one way but not the ONLY way at all but it gets way deeper than that GIVING money. To me it is way easier just giving money sure maybe it wasn’t easy to let go of money you might have worked for but giving the money only you cost you one way. It also depends how you gave the money was it someone wanted to borrow money to get by and you had enough to give so you lent that didn’t cost you to really to much to lose let’s go farther in that scenario and say what about where that someone ask to borrow and you gave because you could but you went farther and seen there was a need for more to help and you offered to pay off a debt or gave money to somehow bettered there life and it cost you more that what was asked (helping others is about making a difference and you stretching someone how looking beyond the need and finding how can you help) or what about if someone comes and asks for money and it’s your last and it’s a way to help but it will cost you to where it leaves you with nothing Money can be just giving which is good to help others but there is scriptures where God wants you to sometimes go beyond just giving and get involved to help with their situation.
James 2:14-17 ESV
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
1 John 3:17 ESV
But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
Romans 12:13 ESV
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Let’s talk about LOOKING acting thinking directing to SACRIFICE to helps others this could be where you have to open up your home to someone that is homeless and to begin with, you live in a small place now your space is interrupted and there are noises that awake you due to different schedules, your having to give up some of the ways you lived to make room for that other person, let’s say you have to help someone by sharing your car someone needs you to take them to work and pick them up so there goes time away from your day and lets say this could last months to a year and its out of your way it’s costing you your time and sharing your car, what about where someone needs you to come to them after a long day of work (and you are to be ready at any given time to help when called) and help them fix something or take them to a doctor, run them to a errand, clean someone’s house for them because they can’t, run to the hospital everyday after work and your weekend to sit with a sick loved one (family, friend, neighbor), what about where your are asked to volunteer to help at a place for a weekend last minute to HELP OTHERS, what about when someone comes to you and you clearly see they are in trouble and very sad and wounded will you make time to help them not just give the money and tell them hope you get better and walk away but, where God ask you to actually invest time in them how ever He might direct you. God may direct you where you are taking time away from you and looking how to serve for His Kingdom to help this person(s)it could be spending a lot of time with them away from your life. I bet your saying now ah wait I guess giving money isn’t so bad but in all seriousness ask yourself in helping others in any scenarios will you SACRIFICE to help others and will you be of a good servant for God’s Kingdom? Now hopefully you see why I added the importance of having a relationship with the Lord and that you really should know what He did on the Cross for us and why HE SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR US!–> AND HE DID IT TO HELP SAVE US!–> HE LOVED US! We should be like Him and HELP others SACRIFICE for others and LOVE others! I’m not saying we die for others like Jesus did I’m saying give up looking at only your our own interests for the helping of others—SACRIFICE), help others to save them, share the word, and help them in their needs at times and sometimes it will cost you more than just giving (ask God during the time of helping others and let him direct you how to full fill the need), and do it with LOVE be kind when your helping someone don’t make them feel bad. I’m not saying to go in helping others and give away all of you and it takes all of your time where you become depleted from it. As long as you have a relationship with Jesus and learn to really know Him you will hear from Him and He will direct you on how to help others. You will be able through your relationship with the Lord to discern what He want’s you to pick up and do for His Kingdom and how to go about helping others where you and that person your helping will grow closer to Him.
I also wanted to mention before closing this post helping others is also listening to them and taking interests in their lives. The Lord may lead you to do something to support their interests and not be of ONLY about your interests in life. Listening to their needs and lending kindness and grace your TIME to them extending your LOVE to them. Which again entails your time and focus on them and not on yourself. Helping others is about taking the focus off of you (your problems, interests etc.) and lending a hand or your time in some way to someone else with willingness and love. There is much reward in blessing and helping others it’s definitely being and doing like Jesus being good to others with Love , It builds good in you that sticks with you that grows in you and changes start happening to you. He begins to bless you with peace and rests the good of Him that you can’t get from the world that is PRICELESS! There is so much more when He blessings you and the fruits of helping others. I urge you to go to Him in prayer and open your bible seek Him get to know your Lord and Savior so you can be of Him Live for Him and seek what He is telling you on how to be of help to His Children and see how that looks for your life and how it grows you as a person of God. I will add some scriptures (there are many more scriptures you can find in the Bible) about helping others so you can see the importance of this in your walk with Him. Again seek Him and listen for what He directs you on helping others and what He has in store for you in your life.
Scriptures on Helping Others and a Link for more Helping Others scriptures
Scriptures of Helping Others
Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
1 Timothy 5:8
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Proverbs 28:27
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Proverbs 29:7
A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
John 13:34-35
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.