HOW WE LIVE - Imitating Christ and Those Like Him

"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:9 (NIV)

Throughout his letter to the Philippians, Paul has described the attitudes and actions which characterize his life. They give us a good sense of his “mindset” (see devotional from Day 2).

• He values the spread of the gospel over his own comfort and popularity (Phil 1:12-18)
• He considers the needs of others over and above his own preferences (Phil 1:19-26)
• He views every personal accomplishment and status marker as garbage in comparison to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Phil 3:7-11)
• He is content in every circumstance, whether in plenty or in want (Phil 4:12-13)

It’s these sorts of things that Paul commands the Philippian church to put into practice (in Phil 4:9). But he didn’t come up with these values on his own. Paul himself has been imitating what he described in Phil 2:5 as “the mindset of Christ.” He has:

1. Not sought his own advantage; but instead
2. Humbled himself for the sake of others

The whole letter to the Philippian church could be summed up by a line Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).

The call to imitate the “mindset of Christ” is for everyone who has put their faith in Jesus and gained the righteousness that comes only from him. Sometimes, we look to examples set by people we know personally in order to see how Christ’s mindset can be lived out in today’s world.

Can you think of someone in your life who lives out the mindset of Christ? Reach out to them today and let them know what you’ve seen.