Philippians: Joy in ChristSample

The Mindset of Christ

When I first made the decision to fully follow Jesus, I was spiritually hungry. I couldn’t get enough of His Word, His presence, or His people. I would show up to church early just to soak up every moment and stay late to ask questions about the Bible. My faith wasn’t something I squeezed into my week—it became the center of my life.

That hunger also translated into a desire to serve. I didn’t care what the task was; if it meant being part of what God was doing, I was in. I set up chairs for youth Bible studies, worked the overhead projector (before ProPresenter was a thing), and helped wherever I could. I wasn’t chasing a title or a platform. I just wanted to help build the Church.

But as the years passed and I kept serving, something began to shift. The pure desire to serve sometimes gave way to frustration. Pride would creep in. Envy would show up. I’d compare my role to others or expect to be noticed. That’s when I realized something important: serving isn’t always simple—especially when the heart loses sight of why it’s serving.

Paul addresses this in Philippians 2 by calling the Church to unity and humility. He tells us to take on the same mindset as Christ—who had every right to demand worship, yet chose to serve and suffer. Jesus didn’t serve to be seen; He served because it was the Father’s will. That’s the posture we’re called to take.

Serving in the Church is not about recognition—it’s about reflection. We serve to reflect the heart of Jesus. And when our motives get murky, we need to return to that simple truth: it’s not about being great in man’s eyes but being faithful in God’s.

Respond to God’s Word:

Choose one act of humility or service today—without complaining or expecting recognition. Let it reflect the attitude of Jesus.