Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
~Philippians 2:3

Two of my sons and I discussed this verse recently. What does it mean to esteem others better than yourself? It can mean placing the wants and needs of those around you above your own, serving them. It can also mean not promoting yourself and boasting of your own importance, but appreciating the gifts, input, and importance of those around you.

When my kids stake their claim to the largest cookie in the batch, sometimes I remind them that this is really a way of saying, “I deserve something bigger and better than everyone else.” Let’s face it: we all do it. It’s just our nature.

I have a minor, and realistically meaningless ritual to remind me to esteem my husband more highly than myself. Promise not to laugh? When putting away our clean clothes, I give him the good hangers. If my husband reads this, he won’t know what I’m talking about, since he probably doesn’t even consider some hangers better than others. (You women understand me, don’t you?) I used to always grab the “good” ones first. Now I don’t; I give them to him.

What are some ways to esteem others better than yourself?

Please visit the other ladies participating in 31 Days of Ministry Online at A Woman Inspired:

• Amy Bayliss – 31 Days of Heart Matters
• Karin – 31 Days of Intentional Parenting
• Jen – 31 Days of Social Media
• Lisa Boyd – 31 Days of WordPress
• Karen Lewis – 31 Days of Praise
• A Martha Heart – 31 Days of Prayer

Links to all posts in this series, by topic, can be found here.