October 1, 2023 • Stephen Putbrese • Philippians 4:4–9
The Self-Help industry has exploded in America. The ideas of self-esteem, self-care, self-love, self-importance, and self-actualization have become pervasive in culture - but has self-help actually helped us? As the focus on the self has increased, so too has self-harm - we are more mentally unstable, miserable, and medicated than we are have been. There is a better orientation to the self, namely, self-denial. This counterintuitive and paradoxical approach is at the heart of Paul's letter to the Philippian church. Despite what it cost Paul to plant the church at Philippi and his present circumstances when writing the letter, he had nothing but joy in his heart.
If asked what kinds of things bring lasting joy, what would you say? While many things can bring short term feelings of happiness, a great purpose and strong relationships have repeatedly been shown to be essential for long-term joy and thriving. However, humans are notoriously bad at pursuing the things that bring long-term joy. How can we walk the right path? In Philippians 1, the Apostle Paul demonstrates what finding joy in shared purpose and people looks like and how it relates to God making us complete.
We now live in a world where everyone is expected to build a personal brand. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review states, "For better or worse, in today’s world everyone is a brand. Whether you’re applying for a job, asking for a promotion, or writing a dating profile, your success will depend on getting others to recognize your value. So you need to get comfortable marketing yourself.” What would the Apostle Paul think about this kind of approach? Despite being the primary architect of the Christian church and shaping Western culture more than almost anyone else, Paul thought very little of his personal brand but a lot about the gospel of Jesus. Only this mentality will heal the self and set us free from our envy, rivalry, and selfish ambition.
