Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves" (Philippians 2:3, NIV 2011).

I've got a new chief at the office. And he doesn't know how great I am. He doesn't know I work harder and longer than most; that I care for my patients more than most. He mainly complains about the petty stuff. I was dwelling heavily on this on the way home this evening: This is not fair; how am I going to prove to him that I am worthy of his appreciation? I was chomping on an evening salad at the grocery café when I realized: Why am I dwelling on me? I should be dwelling on God's love for my boss. It should not be how can I be appreciated, but how can I show this man the way to my Lord? How do I introduce him to Jesus? It really is not about me at all. I crunched on my salad and got it; I then handed him off to God.

It's good that God every now and then lets me see my pride and helps me understand how it leads me away from His mission for my life. It's good to see where my natural self would take me were it not for Jesus. As much as I long to follow Him and as much as I do stuff to please Him, I am basically a self-centered human being who is only saved from myself by the blood of the Lamb. Life really is about me if I don't let go and let Him live through me.

This overwhelming focus on my being under-appreciated was just a reflection of my pride. I was choosing to focus the spotlight on me instead of my chief. I needed to take myself out of the center of my circle. I needed to let my thoughts focus on God's love for others rather than on their appreciation of me.

I needed to be more like Jesus.

Dear Father,
Help me get myself out of the center of my circle.
Amen