…Hanani, one of my brothers,
came from Judah with some other men,
and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant
that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:2
Nehemiah was the cup bearer of King Artaxerxes. He stayed in the nicest places in the Persian Empire. He had a blessed and comfortable life. From a human point of view, he had it made. But he was not focused on his own life and his own comfort. He was concerned for others – even those who lived hundreds of miles away. He asked about those who survived the exile.
Philippians 2:3-4 says, “…in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”
How focused are you on your own interests? How focused am I only on mine?
When a campaign like “Reaching Beyond” comes along, many may be tempted to ask, “What’s in it for me?” But shouldn’t we be asking Jesus, “Help me look at this with your eyes? What do you want me to see?”
Maybe for you these verses aren’t about the Reaching Beyond Campaign at all. Maybe God’s Spirit is trying to get you to move your focus to someone else. Whoever it may be, the challenge today is, “…in humility values others above yourself…”
