Beware of an elitist attitude (1)

Paul writes: ‘Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well’ (vv. 3-6 NLT). Paul is teaching us this important principle: ‘Don’t have an elitist attitude.’ If you are an elitist, you must deal with the truth that every advantage or favour you enjoy is a gift from God (see 1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever God has given you or allowed you to accomplish must never be used for personal exultation. Even if you think you achieved each of them on your own, read these words and take them to heart: ‘Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being…he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names’ (Philippians 2:3-9 NLT).