Most of the text for today are about Jerusalem and the city, and how the nations of this world will stand against Jerusalem, as prophesied by Zechariah and indeed our Lord, who described the circumvallation of Jerusalem accurately.
But the application is not to be found in a big city, nor in power, but in humility.
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Philippians 2:1-11 ESV)
In many ways, the city wants us to be as units, regimented, working in our offices and factories, in the same uniform, with the same ideas and rules. Although the Cathedral talks about individuality, it does so to sell the same products, over and over. As if buying an Apple laptop makes you somehow a rebel. We are told to increase our self-esteem, but the ways we are allowed to do so are regimented.
This is not what the church is about. We are to think of others as more important than ourselves, following Christ, who gave up all for us: we will never be able to unite while we hold onto pride, calling it self-esteem.
And we have to do this despite our weaknesses, be it illness (there is a reason this post is late: I got a virus in Sydney) or the very sin that we think comforts us while it cripples us. For love is not as much a feeling as a choice to hold the other as more important. IF we live for others we will find ourselves.
But if we live for ourselves we will lose others. And make a hell of our own choosing.
“More important”? Not merely “equally” important? Is that unequivocally stated in the Bible? Who, of 7 billions of people, are those “others”? If all of them, then that’s physically impossible.
No. Read the text. You treat others as more important than yourself.
Forget self esteem: it is a lie and delusion. The correct virtue is humility.
Humility is not being lousy at something and glorying in it. It is doing things well and not boasting about them.
And the context gives the others very simply: it is members of the church. You think of them above yourself. For most of us, that is our local congregation. We are limited in our wisdom and in our ability to love. A congregation is generally around 20 to 50 families: that we can handle.
The duties we have, when it comes to provision are clear. Families should look after their own. This includes encouraging widows to remarry or return to their parental home. (Widows are not divorcees, and extending this may be unwise). A man who does not provide for his family and relies on charity is in sin, unless he is disabled: even then he should do the work he can. For he who does not work should not eat.
Then we should care for those in our congregation who are without resources (widows and orphans) and the poor, the infirm and sick. Locally. I think this is best done through the church as that means there is a central place to gather things, and but one storehouse to defend from those who would empty it — be they ravening gangs or the tax man.
Beyond that, I recommend that (when it comes to giving) that the elders and deacons within the church make corporate decisions. There are many charities out there that do more harm than good — including some within the church.
And to care for more people than your personal Dunbar number is psychologically impossible. More than that would be perceived as some amorphous, faceless mass, not relatable individuals. Or some idealized figure has to serve as a stand-in. Some kind of “mental prosthesis”. Sounds familiar?