I have a question on Phil. 2:3

[anitarose]

I saw a friend post this on Facebook, and I responded with this: this verse has always gotten me into trouble, because I believed I was following this Scripture when I would make self-deprecating and condescending jokes about myself and show others that they were better than I am. I guess I don't know how to interpret this particular verse because I just don't see myself the way God sees me. I really lean hard on this particular verse.

This is also likely where my depression comes from because I can't see myself the way others (and God) do. So if anyone can really break this down and help me I would appreciate it.

thanks,

a.

[Guest]

...This is also likely where my depression comes from because I can't see myself the way others (and God) do.....

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2

Be

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Philippians 2:3

Of

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:34-35

Good Cheer

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 2 Timothy 2:24

Beloved Daughter Of The KING

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Love, Your Brother Joe

[nebula]

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;

OK, I'm not understanding how you are using this to justify self-deprecating and condescending jokes about yourself.

Considering others better than yourself does not mean thinking low of yourself. You should exalt others by lifting them up, not by lowering yourself.

[anitarose]

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;

OK, I'm not understanding how you are using this to justify self-deprecating and condescending jokes about yourself.

Considering others better than yourself does not mean thinking low of yourself. You should exalt others by lifting them up, not by lowering yourself.

See, I didn't understand it like that...I always thought that I think better of others than I do myself...hence the self-esteem issue. I was always taught that if I thought better of others and less of myself, God would see me better. So I always treated others like they were royalty, and myself I thought of as a sewer pipe. I didn't understand that God loved ME so much more than that. I wanted to lower myself so that I wouldn't get all puffed up with pride, so I made dumb jokes about myself.

I'm not trying to justify anything. I just didn't understand the verse as it applied to me personally, which is why I asked the question about it. Since I see myself no better than scum of the earth, the verse applied to me as I treat others better than I treat myself. Does that make sense?

[nebula]

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;

OK, I'm not understanding how you are using this to justify self-deprecating and condescending jokes about yourself.

Considering others better than yourself does not mean thinking low of yourself. You should exalt others by lifting them up, not by lowering yourself.

See, I didn't understand it like that...I always thought that I think better of others than I do myself...hence the self-esteem issue. I was always taught that if I thought better of others and less of myself, God would see me better. So I always treated others like they were royalty, and myself I thought of as a sewer pipe. I didn't understand that God loved ME so much more than that. I wanted to lower myself so that I wouldn't get all puffed up with pride, so I made dumb jokes about myself.

I'm not trying to justify anything. I just didn't understand the verse as it applied to me personally, which is why I asked the question about it. Since I see myself no better than scum of the earth, the verse applied to me as I treat others better than I treat myself. Does that make sense?

Actually, I do understand the mentality. I used to believe self-hatred was the godly thing to do as well. I just didn't see it in this verse, and I'm trying to tell you that it is incorrect thinking.

You see, pride is a two-sided coin - one side thinks highly of itself, the other side thinks lowly of itself. The key is that both center and focus on "I".

King Saul had a low self-esteem, and that is what led to his downfall.

You see, the tree that leads to death was called "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". All sin has a "good" side and a "bad" side, but even the "good" side is not the goodness of God. Belittling yourself, thinking low of yourself in that way, insecurity, is the "good" side of pride. But it is still the tree of death. Does that make sense?

Being a servant does not mean being a doormat.

Hating yourself is hating a child of God.

And consider this, how can a fellow brother or sister think more highly of you than themselves if you are scraping the floor? How can they lower themselves below you, if this is how the verse means?

No.

This is what the Lord showed me. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." How can you love your neighbor as yourself if you do not love yourself?

Humility means that you know who you are and what you are capable of, but you do not use it to exalt yourself.

Consider, do you believe Jesus thought less of Himself? How did Jesus display humility?

I know these words are not going to change your feelings; a lot of healing needs to be done first. But I hope that you can begin to acknowledge the truth of what is spoken over you.

[Botz]

That is an excellent loving reply Nebula.

It is a case of truly loving/serving others and practically placing them above your own priorities...but confident of your own identity in Messiah, and not from a sense of false humility or lack of self-worth....that is what this chapter goes on to demonstrate when Jesus, the L-rd of Glory, humbled Himself as a servant...He did not become servile.

[enoob57]

I saw a friend post this on Facebook, and I responded with this: this verse has always gotten me into trouble, because I believed I was following this Scripture when I would make self-deprecating and condescending jokes about myself and show others that they were better than I am. I guess I don't know how to interpret this particular verse because I just don't see myself the way God sees me. I really lean hard on this particular verse.

This is also likely where my depression comes from because I can't see myself the way others (and God) do. So if anyone can really break this down and help me I would appreciate it.

thanks,

a.

Reality is being born again unto a living hope and walking heart in heart into the Kingdom of God all the while that heart that is in your heart is -as or more- precious than your own. To be absent of self is to place in full trust your being into God's responsible care and to fully enjoy that which is of God around you... Love Steven

[alex_31]

It could also be said that placing the value of others above yourself, speaks to making a priority of helping others and meeting their needs. By doing this, it helps an individual avoid self-centeredness and pride, shifting the focus toward God and other people.

I saw a friend post this on Facebook, and I responded with this: this verse has always gotten me into trouble, because I believed I was following this Scripture when I would make self-deprecating and condescending jokes about myself and show others that they were better than I am. I guess I don't know how to interpret this particular verse because I just don't see myself the way God sees me. I really lean hard on this particular verse.

This is also likely where my depression comes from because I can't see myself the way others (and God) do. So if anyone can really break this down and help me I would appreciate it.

thanks,

a.

[Fraught]

We all just concentrate on God. God changes us from the inside. We are all on God's time schedule and the Holy Spirit indwelling will complete you in the way and time in which God sees fit as you are willing to allow. Do not lean upon your own understanding. I want to change overnight, and the change seems so slow at times. But when I look back at the feelings/understandings I had about certain things compared to the way I think now, it seems amazing. The best times, the best deeds, are when I didn't think about myself at all. May our prayer be that we are in that time more and more often as we grow in Christ.

[pearly163]

Not sure if this is on the right wavelength but would like to share it anyway.

I struggled for many years with the idea that I needed to think of myself as lower than other people (not a problem because I thought it anyway) and I would constantly bring myself down by saying that I was hopeless, stupid etc.

I was reading the bible one day and had one of those lovely revelations, the kind where verses jump off the page in front of you.

It was simply the phrase "Love your neighbour as you love yourself". The idea that I was "allowed" to love myself transformed my life in many ways.

God bless.