Christ is First, But He Chose To Be Last. Shouldn’t We Do The Same? by Scott Dunn

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)

It is hard for anyone to always put themselves second or even last in this world because many of us live in a society that often thinks of themselves first, even when we profess subjugation of our own will. It is part of the human condition and it is a significant fault of man. To improve how we respond to those feelings of needing to be highlighted, we must understand and ultimately find peace with the fact that we are commanded to be the hands and feet of Jesus. When Paul and Timothy were writing to the Philippians, they encouraged them to show humility like Christ (Philippians 2:3-4) and that is something we should strive for.

It has not been easy for me, and is it ever fully solved? No, but because I want to be more like Christ, I have to remind myself that I am second or third or fifth. Christ could have left us to our own demise and allowed us to fester and stay permanently separated from God, but instead, he made himself last. Last of every soul that has come, gone, and will come. He chose to come down to Earth and live as we live. He chose to understand us more intimately than we could imagine and then, even though we weren’t worthy, he stepped between his father and us, saying (I’m taking liberty here, obviously no one knows the true conversation), “They are not perfect, they are not worthy, but they were created to be wonderful. Not all hope is lost. My sacrifice is worth their salvation.”

I must be honest, running through that conversation makes me a little misty. Can we be that humble? Can I? It is a question I strive to answer every day. I do not get it right all the time and I won’t. I do not expect to. However, Jesus says you can get it right some of the time too because we could be worthy. His confidence in humanity is something to be cherished. We can be worthy of God’s love. We can be worthy of the love of our wives or significant others. We can be worthy of the love of the children in our lives. It comes at a great cost to our vanity, but Paul said it right in Philippians 1:21, ‘For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain’ (ESV). If we truly are the hands and feet of Jesus, we need to operate as he did.

Doing this, being the hands and feet, is a journey. One that lasts our entire lifetime. One that, if we struggle to find fulfillment can make us feel hopeless. So, how do we keep this mindset of being last without feeling hopeless?

I am just a conveyor of thoughts with an approach to theology. I am only trying to share what I have success with and hope that you can make use of it too. Here are the things that I use and find beneficial.

1. Make a list, either written or mental, of the things you have done for others. See how it has impacted their life and admire the work you have done. It is hard to see that sometimes, but reminders are important, so you do not feel like you’re doing something in vain. This is like prayer journaling, for me, it is all in one because it costs you zero to pray for someone, it does not matter if they know you do or not.

2. Wear something that professes your desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus so that you have a visual cue. One of my favorite things is a silicone bracelet I have from I Am Second. A friend asked me about the bracelet. I explained, and then I gave it to him without a thought. (2 Corinthians 9:7) The next week he had a different one for me that I would wear daily until it broke.

3. Listen to your heart. Our mind often complicates things for us more than we would like. If you see someone in need, help them. (Proverbs 4:23) This was something I was happy to show Elijah (my favorite little boy in the world) one day when he was playing at the soft play area in the mall. There was a boy there that had taken one of his toys.

Long story short, the boy was autistic and when I asked him for the toy back his mother apologized profusely and gave me the toy. I sat down and put Elijah on my knee and explained to him that there are many toys in the world just like this one, but maybe this toy was destined for the little boy. I did not force him to make his next decision.

He understood what I was getting at and gave the toy to the little boy. The mom was thankful and almost in tears, and I could not be a prouder parent.

Those are just a few ways we can keep on that path to being last and being happy. If Christ can give up everything including His life, then surely we can give up some of us to enrich others. You never know how much a small act of selflessness can change someone’s world or lead them to Christ.

Scott Dunn

Scott Dunn is a Christian husband and father who has spent over 15 years in the telecommunications industry. He is the founder of Talking with God (https://twgpodcast.com), a podcast that seeks to educate and encourage a closer relationship with God.

Scott is a northerner who migrated south and has fully acclimated to the wonderful area known as the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He serves at his local church by helping with the production and online streaming of services.

He has a genuine passion for the Christian man and his responsibilities, often writing about them on his blog https://justholdfast.com. Here he shares open and real-life experiences so that other men can relate to the human condition and how that relates to a stronger love relationship with God.

Click on logo to visit