Verse from Philippians

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

Paul sets the context for his theme of humility early in this letter. Writing while imprisoned, he says, “All of you share in God’s grace with me” (Philippians 1:7). 

Being equal recipients of His grace ought to have motivated the Philippian church to “value others above [themselves]” (2:3). Key to this is the way they were to live before a watching world. By living blamelessly, they’d be “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation” (v. 15). As they lived lives of humble service to the world, they’d “shine among them like stars in the sky” (v. 15) and be fountains of encouragement.