Humble and Selfless

Philippians 2:1-4
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Proverbs 31 is often the go to chapter of the Bible for Mother's Day. Granted there are many wonderful words there in reference to a wife and mother. But as I was reading through some Bible verses for this week's devotion, I read Philippians 2. I know Paul was speaking to the church in Philippi, but I can't imagine better words to describe a mom. Throughout the scripture, I've read of many mom's who put their children's needs above their own, practiced tenderness and compassion, loved God, and bowed before him with a humble spirit.

Hannah turned her son over to God's service after she'd spent years praying to have a baby. Moses' mom hid him to keep him safe. Ham, Shem, and Japheth's mother climbed into an ark full of stinky animals to ride out the storm with her boys. I've always appreciated that Timothy's grandmother and mother raised him to love the Lord. Of course I can't leave out Mary, Jesus' mother. She watched her son die for the rest of us. She knew God needed him to do that.

Whether we're moms, daughters, aunts, Grammies, or friends God shows us many great examples of what a Christian woman looks like. I mention women because of Mother's Day, but the scripture applies to guys too. We all need to be selfless and encourage each other.

And by the way, when your mom said she didn't really want that last piece of dessert she gave you, she probably really did. She was just being nice.

Happy Mother's Day!