The Church is called to be united in four ways. Firstly in Conviction, secondly in Love, thirdly in Purpose and fourthly in the mind of Christ. Paul writing to the Philippians from his house arrest in Rome makes it obvious that this would give him the greatest joy. The way we do this is very obvious to Paul. We are to treat others and that would mean all people as if they were greater than ourselves. In doing this you will be putting their interests first above your own. This is the mind of Christ. You cannot put it more simply. This is how we ought to live amongst each other. The Jerusalem bible uses the word ‘self-effacing’ to describe the attribute. We are usually taught the opposite, to get to the top, to believe in yourself and win at all costs. Young teenagers are showing more and more the tendencies to be self-willed and arrogant. The rights we speak of in our advanced constitution are the rights not of ourselves but the rights of others around us. The temptation to swing from parading our needs to parading the needs of others is a spiritual matter and needs constant correction. (Philippians 2:1-5)
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