Relationships take lots of self discipline, sacrifice, and humility to be healthy and growing. As I memorize the book of Philippians and read it every day in preparation for the series that I am teaching this Fall on the book I keep running into amazing principles on relationship success. This passage gives a clear command and principle, but very difficult to obey, but if successfully practiced would result in very close and meaningful relationships.

Philippians 2:3-5 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,”

Have the same attitude as Jesus😳, you have to be kidding me, can I do that!?! The great thing about being a Christ follower is He gives these impossible to keep commands, and then gives us the power to keep them if we make the commitment to obey Him. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but as we pursue obedience we grow in maturity and Christ likeness every day. Which brings up another amazing blessing as a fully devoted follower of Jesus, He forgives us over and over again as we fail and fall in our pursuit of righteousness.

I have been trying to put this principle into practice with the people that we interact with while fishing. Many of them are very difficult for a variety of reasons, and all I really want to do is fish, but when you fish with other people there is always a rub, so, I say to myself repeatedly, “Act like Jesus”, “act like Jesus”, “act like Jesus”.