Philippians 2:3 (NIV)
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

This verse of scriptures further proves that there are other ways we can demonstrate humility apart from submission. With regards to our peers, even though we are not necessarily obligated to learn their ways, we can show them humility by being selfless. Before we can demonstrate this action of selflessness, however, we must have been honest enough to recognize them as our peers and admit to the fact that the world does not necessarily revolve around our own selfish interests.

Several people in our generation need especially to be reminded of the fact that the world does not revolve around their own selfish interests and that utilizing the world’s resources only to meet their needs is impractical and inefficient. Let us review this from a logical standpoint. Assuming I have all the money in this world, and nobody else has access to it, how will a farmer have the funds to buy the seed he needs for agriculture? How will the electric company have the funds to maintain the infrastructure I need to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer? How will I protect myself from disgruntled neighbors who may try to rob me out of desperation to meet their own needs?

The point we are trying to make through these hypothetical and rhetorical questions is that selflessness is enlightened self-interest. When we allow the planet’s resources (time, money, influence, etc.) to be used to meet the needs of others, we will in turn directly or indirectly benefit from that kind gesture. We do not have enough arms and legs to meet all the needs in our lives to survive in this planet. We need other people, as well. The needs of our peers have to be met so that they in turn can contribute toward meeting our needs in the future, directly or indirectly.

We need to be honest, in this regard. We need to communicate to our peers that we value their interests in thought, in word and with our actions. We need to speak the truth in this regard and let them know that their inputs are critical to our survival in this planet and the fulfilment of our destiny. We need our peers to survive.

We hope this logical reasoning and scriptural evidence have positioned you to appreciate the importance of acknowledging your peers and acting selfless toward them. If so, we would like to invite you to read the next article: Selflessness Toward Peers.