Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
When my “uncle” Emory passed away, the tributes were many and varied. Yet all those honors carried a consistent theme—Emory showed his love for God by serving others. Nowhere was this more exemplified than during his World War II military service, where he served as a corpsman—a medic who went into battle without a weapon. He received high military honors for his bravery, but Emory was most remembered for his compassionate service, both during and after the war.
Emory’s selflessness lived out Paul’s challenge to the Galatians. He wrote, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13). But how? In our brokenness, we’re hardwired to put self first, rather than others, so where does this unnatural selflessness come from?
In Philippians 2:5, Paul offers this encouragement: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Paul describes Christ’s willingness to even experience death on a cross out of His great love for us. Only as His Spirit produces the mind of Christ in us are we set apart and enabled to sacrifice for others—reflecting the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made when He gave Himself for us. May we yield to the Spirit’s work in us.
When has someone sacrificially served you? How can you serve others, perhaps beginning with your own family?
Loving Father, thank You for the perfect example of Jesus and His sacrifice for me. Please help me to have the mindset of Jesus.
For further study listen to The Compassion of Jesus.
INSIGHT
Being led by the Spirit is about freedom with responsibility. Galatians 5:13 states, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” We have freedom in Christ, but it’s not freedom to gratify self at the expense of others. Rather, it’s the freedom of not being enslaved to our own desires and being liberated to genuinely care for others. The contrast is found in verse 16: “walk by the Spirit” or “gratify the desires of the flesh.” In verse 17, we see the actual conflict: “The Spirit [desires] what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” The Spirit enables us to rise above the flesh and do what pleases God and not ourselves.