Happiness comes from harmony, and harmony comes from humility.

Notes And Next Steps

Philippians 2:1-11  + Part 3 of the series “Be Happy."

“This is the most important rule to follow: always make the differences you can make, not the differences you would prefer to make but can’t.”—Lyndon Duke

[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing … he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

Jesus didn’t seek his own, exceptional worldly glory.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place. (Philippians 2:9)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3,4)

Humility leads to harmony.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians 2:1,2)

“Have an average day!”

Discussion Questions

1. Has an average person having an average day ever made a difference for you? A sales clerk? A family member? A teacher? Give an example.
2. Your friend is describing some tension in their family or workplace. Explain to your friend why humility leads to harmony. What are some talking points?
3. Philippians 2:3 says, “value others above yourselves.” Does this mean valuing yourself less?
4. Experiment: 1) Choose an area of your life in which you have been trying to excel, for example, writing, sales, being a mom. 2) Consider what would constitute an average day in that area – not typical, but average (as in neither exceptionally good nor exceptionally bad). Examples: Writing—90 minutes a day. Sales—Speak with 5 new prospects. Being a mom—Spending at least half an hour before school and half an hour after school focused 100% on being with the kids. 3) Project forward into the future—if you did nothing but repeat your “average day” five days a week, how much of a difference will you have made in three months? A year? Five years? A lifetime?