Rights and privileges
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…
Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
My friend was frazzled. She was running late and had just had an argument with her 10-year-old son who was refusing to cooperate. Finally, in frustration, she sent him to his room and told him she wasn’t listening to him anymore. His parting shot was, ‘You know mum I have the right to be heard.’
Young people growing up in Western society today are taught about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).1 In theory it is a good thing. We would dearly love all children to have the things they need to flourish, such as protection from harm, a good education, and supportive healthy relationships, amongst other things.
However, if taken too far, it can lead to having a sense of entitlement where people are only interested in having their needs met and less concerned about meeting the needs of others. Having our needs met can easily slip into expecting our wants to be met too. And this idea of sacrificing for others, well, why would we even consider doing such a thing?
This contrasts sharply with how Jesus thought, and what he taught. The apostle Paul tells us that we must have the same attitude that Christ had. Philippians 2:6-7 (NLT) states, ‘Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to’, – in other words, Jesus did not hold on to his rights and privileges as God, and try to take advantage – ‘ Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.’ Jesus willingly set his rights aside, and with the greatest humility became a human so he could serve and meet our needs. ‘And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!’ (v.8 NIV). His humility, his desire to serve, was complete. He emptied himself and endured the most painful and most shameful form of death, just to serve our needs.
It seems that in Paul’s day, just like ours, people were focused on themselves. The Philippians were citizens of a Roman colony, and they had many privileges and rights, but Paul was reminding them, and us, of the need to sacrifice for others. To put the needs of others before our own.
This seems like it should be easy to do if we put our mind to it, but we all know it isn’t. We instinctively find ways, many of them quite creative, to meet our own needs first. Selfishness runs deep, and at times it seems impossible to root it out. We need to cry out to Jesus, asking him for help. We need his love, and it is only with him living in us that we can give up our rights for others, and serve them as he did.
Prayer
Our loving Father in heaven, we earnestly desire to have the same mindset as our older brother Jesus. We want to be like him, and be able to give up our rights and privileges so we can better serve others. We can’t do this on our own so ask for your help. Please bless us with your love, so we can love and care for others. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Jackie Mill
1 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.
Jackie Mill is a minister in Grace Communion International and Co-Regional Pastor for Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion International Central Glasgow
Garnethill Room
Conference Suite
St Andrews West
260 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 4JP
Meeting time:
Sunday 11:15 am
Local congregational contact:
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church