Philipians or bust....

My conviction this month is crippling! Not that it is a particular shock to me that I'm horrid, or even how horrid I am, it's more that now I know how horrid I am...I keep on finding out how utterly horrid I am!
We are reading Paul's letters, every woman's favourite apostle! Actually I do warm to him, really- he's actually not that concerned with gender, he's more interested in heaven, he's interested in Jesus, and in Philipians he reminds us to follow Christ's example.

Philipians 2  ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Now women, by nature, by design are supposed to be good at this selfless love stuff, having to give their bodies over to babies for much longer than nine months etc.
But there are lots of ways around this, secret womanly ways...one of these ways is martyrdom.
So martyrdom goes like this; "I'm so glad you are sitting down, finding time to have a bath, cut your toe nails...I'm sure I do not know when my jobs will end...."
Another one is moods! Moods are fantastic! Especially when you spread the mood, oh yes, you are expert in inflicting the mood..."I'm in a mood...I'm angry...I'm upset...I'm tired...I'm lonely..."
The cry of the mood? "Share ME, share ME, share ME..."
I guess the next one is my total favourite, woo-hoo, fits of rage... now this can range any where from mild irritation, "shut up..." to full-blown psychotic episodes "I hate you, the world and everything in it..." and Paul informs me these are not fruit of the spirit, these are from the sinful nature...these are to do with your own self interest. And the voice of self interest will justify your anger until the cows come home. The voice of self interest is "ME, WANT, NEED, I, AM."

So Jesus says humble yourself to put others before yourself...self...self...and you might think how on earth can I do that? So he gives you an amazing example and dies on a cross for you...you...you.

Philipians

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!