Think of Others

Episode notes

How much of our mental energy is spent thinking about ourselves?

Thinking about others is a deliberate choice, and while it doesn’t always come naturally to us, it’s the most inspiring way we can live our lives. Jesus is the greatest example of unselfish love; he cared deeply about you and me, and can teach us to live a life of impact by following in his footsteps.

Listen or watch this Scripture Playlist to get your mind off yourself and onto the ways you can brighten someone else’s day today.

References

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25 NLT

My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.
1 John 3:18-20 MSG

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? [2] Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. [3] Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:1-4 NLT

Are you jealous? Are you concerned only about getting ahead? Then your life will be a mess. You will be doing all kinds of evil things. [17] But the wisdom that comes from heaven is pure. That’s the most important thing about it. And that’s not all. It also loves peace. It thinks about others. It obeys. It is full of mercy and good fruit. It is fair. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not.
James 3:16-17 NIrV

[38] Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands-more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”
Luke 6:38 ERV

Then Jesus said to his followers, “If any of you want to be my follower, you must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you for following me. [25] Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me will find true life. [26] It is worth nothing for you to have the whole world if you yourself are lost. You could never pay enough to buy back your life.
Matthew 16:24-26 ERV

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. [36] I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ [37] “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? [39] When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
Matthew 25:35-40 NLT

“This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. [13] No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.
John 15:12-13 AMP

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. [10] Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. [13] Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home.
Romans 12:9-10,13 CEV

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. [14] For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
Galatians 5:13-15 NLT

But first you must realize that in the last days some people won’t think about anything except their own selfish desires.
2 Peter 3:3 CEV

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
1 Peter 4:10 NLT

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24 NLT

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
John 13:34-35 AMP

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
1 John 2:15-17 MSG

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. [3] If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Galatians 6:2-3 NLT

When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. [20] Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything. [21] Honor Christ and put others first.
Ephesians 5:19-21 CEV

No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us.
1 John 4:12 AMP

We who have strong faith should help the weak with their problems. We should not please only ourselves. [2] Each of us should please our neighbors. Let us do what is good for them in order to build them up.
Romans 15:1-2 NIrV

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8 NLT

Some of you say, “We can do whatever we want to!” But I tell you that not everything may be good or helpful. [24] We should think about others and not about ourselves.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 CEV

I hope the Lord Jesus will soon let me send Timothy to you. [20] I don’t have anyone else who cares about you as much as he does. [21] The others think only about what interests them and not about what concerns Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:19-21 CEV