The Decrease of Self

Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The only One who has ever been above others, lived for others—and died for others. 

And we are to be like him.

It seems so holy and sacrificial to talk about humility or “dying to self,” but this decrease of self happens naturally (well, supernaturally) when we increase God in our lives. 

When something decreases in our lives, something else will increase. Or you could say it the other way around—that for something in our lives to increase, something else must decrease.

That’s why John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.”

When we increase our focus on God in our lives, that increase begins to affect every part of who we are. We decrease when God increases. Likewise, when we begin to increase our focus on others, then we begin to decrease our focus on ourselves.

And that’s humility. 

C.S. Lewis said it like this: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” 

Some have called it “self-forgetfulness.”

Jesus was humble. He did not belittle himself, he just focused on God and others first. His heart beat for his Father and for people.

That’s humility. That’s the decrease of self. And, ironically, that’s also where we find so much freedom.

Every Kingdom principle that might appear at first glance to be “sacrificial,” is actually meant to bring us that “life to the full” Jesus promises in John 10:10.

So, while the decreasing of self and raising up of others sounds painful, it’s actually a key to our own fullness of life.

Oh Lord, thank you that everything you command us to do actually brings life to our life. Please teach us humility. Help us to increase our focus on you and on others, so we can live the fullness of life you created us to live. Amen.