Short-sightedness
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).
Short-sightedness is when we cannot see distant objects clearly, only those which are close. It provides a helpful illustration of a spiritual problem. The church at Philippi was very dear to Paul’s heart. There was ample evidence of their love for the apostle. This love was expressed in their sacrificial giving. In chapter 2, Paul presents to them most beautifully the mind of Christ. Before doing this, he encourages them not to be short-sighted by only being occupied with their own interests, but to see ways in which they could also look after the interests of others. They already had some excellent examples – Lydia and the Philippian jailer, founding members of the church at Philippi. These dear saints, so different in background, had immediately been taught by the Holy Spirit to see and minister to the needs of others in love. Now, Paul shows them the greatest example of all. He describes how Christ Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient unto death to ensure our salvation. He saw and met us in all our need.
But if you look carefully at what Paul writes, he wasn’t saying you should not look after your own interests. A vital feature of the Christian life is that we do take responsibility for our own spiritual welfare. In Acts 20, Paul encourages the Ephesian elders, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (v. 28). John writes, “Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8). We have a responsibility to ensure we are spiritually healthy; by doing so we can spiritually care for our wives, husbands, children, and brothers and sisters in Christ, and other people. God has given us a clear field of vision, embracing what is near and what is further away.
In the parable of the Good Samaritan the Lord teaches about seeing need and responding to it (Luke 10). The priest and the Levite saw the wounded man and both chose to pass by on the other side. They saw, but they did not respond. Instead, they deliberately put distance between themselves and a fellow human being in great need. They blinded themselves. The Samaritan saw the wounded man, had compassion, went to him with healing power and took care of him. In Exodus 3 the Lord spoke to Moses of the sufferings of His people, and the first thing He says is, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt” (v. 7); then He promises to come down to deliver them.
As Christians we see with our human eyes and we see by faith. In both cases, God enables us to see so that we will respond. Sometimes that response is worship and at other times it is sacrificial service. God shows us in our personal lives, our families, amongst the people of God, and in the world, what needs our careful attention. He opens our eyes to the glory of the Saviour who saw our need, came down in lowly grace, and delivered us. That glory does not blind us; it opens our eyes and empowers us to act.
