July 12, 2026
Always Wanting it Our Way
There is a common fast-food restaurant slogan, “Have it your way.” It is a marketing tactic that tells customers they can customize their orders however they like to suit their preferences. Even though a restaurant has taken advantage of such a saying, we really live in a world that constantly tells us to have it our way. We hear this notion early on in our childhood. When we were kids and desired something, our parents may have told us that when we became adults, we could do what we wanted. Then we became adults and pursued that. We have been trained in our society to demand it our way, to demand our rights and our preferences. We are, first and foremost, the focus of any consideration, and we expect to be served and made happy by those around us.
This attitude is simply a product of our society, yet the society we have been called into, the church, holds a different attitude. In Philippians 2, Paul tells the church not to do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. These two words mean that we are not to fight or be aggressive for our own way, nor are we to seek those things that bring us glory and honor. Think about what Paul is getting at, because we often see these manifested in various relationships around us. Seeking something for selfish ambition is someone who is overbearing and assertive in what they desire in life. They become bossy toward those around them and don’t compromise or give an inch. The person who seeks vain glory wants their name to be first in all things and wants their name to be praised and honored among men. Selfish ambition speaks of manner, and vain conceit speaks of attitude. Yet Paul tells us not to do these things. Rather, we are to value others above ourselves and seek others' interests over our own (Phil. 2:3-4).
This is hard for us, after all, our American society teaches us a different message. But if we are to be like Christ, we must adopt this mindset. Yet how do we cultivate such a mindset in our lives? Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3 that we do this through humility. Humility is having the right mindset about our worth and value. It calls for self-reflection; it is about how we view ourselves, not necessarily how we act. Granted, it will affect our actions. Thinking about our value isn’t about comparing our worth to others but about seeing how we stand before God. Proper humility always begins in the throne room of God, seeing how unworthy we are before our Holy God, yet tremendously blessed to be invited into a relationship with him.
When we cultivate this mindset, we will also see others in this way. We will not conclude that we are greater than someone else, or that our worth, views, and opinions are greater than others’. Instead, we will see that all of us are equal before God and equal before the cross. There isn’t one person who is greater than another. Thus, if that is the case, why would we insist on our way, or assert that we are worth more than others? We wouldn’t. So then, as Christians, we shouldn’t march toward the idea of having it our way, but rather look outward toward others, valuing others above ourselves.
- Christian Joyner
Past Articles
Complete My Joy 7/5/2026
Boldness in Opposition 6/28/2026
Walking in a Worthy Manner 6/21/2026
Rejoicing in the Preaching of the Gospel 6/7/2026
Encouraging Boldness 5/31/2026
The Gospel In Unfavorable Circumstances 5/24/2026
Goodness From Knowledge 5/17/2026
God's Finished Work 5/10/2026
Our Identity 4/26/2026