Whose Interests Are You Looking Out For?
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Rev. Enoch Thompson | April 3 2025 | Philippians 2:19-24
KEY VERSE:
¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 2:19-21 (NIV)
MESSAGE: Our reflection today is an invitation to face up to ourselves and to answer the question, “Whose interests am I looking out for?” Consciously or unconsciously, we all approach life situations with certain interests at heart.
We certainly must have some self-interest, as when Peter asked the Lord, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" Matt 19:27 (NIV). The new life in Jesus Christ entails blessings that God intends for us to enjoy, and it is in our best interest to recognise these and seek them out. It is when we stop at this point that our interests become unhealthy and ungodly, for they become selfish and inward-looking.
We must look out for the welfare of others. Paul had a deep interest in the spiritual growth of the Philippian Christians and was going to send Timothy to gather news about them. Evidently, Timothy had taken after Paul and was expressing a genuine interest in the believers at Philippi. The sad reality was also that other people, who should have shown interest in the Philippian church, were looking out for their own interests rather than those of Christ in these believers in Philippi.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Beyond your valid personal interests, are you looking out for the interests of Christ in the lives of other people that God has brought into your sphere of influence? Reflect and identify people and situations through whom you must express your interests for Christ.
PRAYER:
Lord, I confess all self-centred, inward-looking, short-sightedness, past and present, and ask that you forgive me. Please help me see beyond myself, to see you, Lord, and to see others in you. Lord, heal your Church of self-interest that is unlike you and neglects those that need our interventions. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 93: Deuteronomy 13-14 — Avoid Idolatry; Clean and Unclean Foods
DAILY word study: INTERESTS
The Greek word used in Philippians 2:21 is τὰ ἑαυτῶν (ta heautōn), which literally means “the things of oneself” or “one’s own concerns.” It refers to matters that benefit or affect one’s personal well-being.
Paul distinguishes between self-driven motives and Christ-driven concern. While personal well-being isn’t inherently wrong, it becomes a distortion when it overshadows God’s interests in others. Timothy is singled out because his heart mirrors Christ’s—genuinely seeking the spiritual good of others. This echoes Philippians 2:4, where believers are urged to look not only to their own interests but also to the interests of others.
Reflection: What defines your focus today—your comfort or Christ’s calling? A Christ-centered life makes room for genuine, sacrificial concern for others, just like Timothy's.
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