164: Consider Others
For most of my life, the following has been a familiar question:
“Have you heard about the storm out in the Atlantic?”
Sometimes “the Gulf” is in place of “the Atlantic,” but either way, this question is familiar because, growing up in Florida,“hurricane season” was something I learned to pay attention to. And each year, from roughly June 1-November 30, “pay attention” is typically what I do. I wouldn’t say I obsess over the weather forecast by any means, but I do keep an eye on it. And if I hear of any sort of storm formation happening out there, I’m ready to follow along.
Weather forecasters work to keep everyone up-to-date on the progress of a potential storm—its projected track, whether or not it will actually develop, and, if it does, how strong it might be at landfall. If it looks like it’s heading my way, well, the prep work then begins.
In my experience, this prep work usually includes making sure the kitchen is stocked with some nonperishables; moving items from the fridge and freezer into a couple coolers; ensuring we have access to plenty of water; gathering flashlights and batteries; fueling up vehicles; clearing off any outdoor spaces; and charging up our devices. It’s a whole thing and we do it all in the hopes of staying as safe and as comfortable as possible. Such is the Floridian life.
Now, if you’re listening in real time, during this current 2026 hurricane season and last year’s, too, the places I’ve lived have not been impacted by any storms. And it’s interesting to notice and consider what happens when a storm is NOT heading my way. When that is the case, I find I usually breathe a quick sigh of relief and go about my days completely unbothered. I essentially do nothing. After all, if the storm isn’t going to affect me directly, I can then direct my time and energy elsewhere. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
It’s true during hurricane season, and I find something similar is also true in my everyday life. Though, in my everyday life, it’s usually not an actual storm. It might be a decision, a fear, a struggle, a change, a diagnosis, a loss. Whatever it is, if it does not affect me personally, I’m prone to set it aside. To remain unfazed. To breathe a sigh of relief and direct my attention elsewhere. Maybe you can relate?
The truth is, as regular human people, we have a natural tendency toward doing just that. Self-interest and self-preservation are our default. It’s how we’re wired. And so, it makes sense that if an issue or experience is unfamiliar to us—if it isn’t something we know up-close or first-hand—it’s probably not going to be something we’re super concerned about.
And yet, one thing I’ve been considering lately, is that as followers of Jesus, we might be called to more. Here’s what I mean:
One of my favorite passages in all of Scripture is Philippians 2. Several years ago in grad school, a professor invited each person in our cohort to pick a passage and dive in deep. We would study it, meditate on it, essentially learn it by heart. And we would do this over the course of 10 weeks. Which passage did I pick? You guessed it—Philippians 2, specifically verses 1-11. It’s a passage often referred to as the Christ Hymn, inviting us to imitate Jesus and have the same mind as Christ.
I chose it because it was already familiar, and I was curious to see if anything new or specific might stand out. Sure enough, as I studied and prayed and learned the passage by heart, I found myself consistently drawn to verse four, which reads:
Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
Over and over and over again, those words came to mind, even when I wasn’t necessarily engaging with the passage. Verse four played like a song stuck in my head. And whenever that song came on, I recognized how often I do the exact opposite; how easily I get caught up in my own schedule, my own priorities, my own preferences, my own needs; how quick I am to remember and consider my interests while completely forgetting or even ignoring the interests of others. It was a sobering realization, to say the least, and as a follower of Jesus, it was a reality I knew needed to change.
And so, ever since, by God’s grace and with God’s help, I’ve continued to consider what it means for each of us and all of us to follow Jesus’ lead, raise our gaze, and look to the interests of others; to love our neighbors as ourselves; to care for others, even when their experiences, needs, and perspectives differ from our own.
I’m still learning what it means to keep an eye on the storm, if you will, even if we’re not directly in its path.
Now, before we continue, it might seem like verse four is directing us to ignore our own interests and only focus on the interests of others; to be fair, as far as I can tell, in most English translations, it does kind of read that way. But if we look to the original Greek, there is a phrase in there, alla-kai, that essentially means ‘but also.’ We look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. So, I wonder if this verse isn’t necessarily suggesting we ignore our own needs or experiences; but that we seek to look beyond them, expanding our perspective, widening our lens, considering more than our own point of view. That feels like an important distinction to make.
So, what might this look like?
When someone close to us has a long or difficult day, it might look like running the errand or cleaning the kitchen or offering a listening ear, even if it means we have to go out of our way to do so.
When there is a need in our community, it might look like spending the time, the money, and the energy to offer support and care, even if the need is not our own.
When there is a decision to make or a vote to cast, it might look like not only considering what will benefit us, but also considering what might benefit others, particularly those who are most vulnerable and often overlooked.
When there is a tragedy or a diagnosis well beyond our control, it might look like holding the situation in prayer, even if we aren’t personally connected to it.
When there is a policy in place or a system at work, it might look like considering if and how it potentially hinders others, and then seeking to make a change on their behalf.
When there is a disagreement, it might look like sincerely taking time to learn more about the other side of the issue, even if we can’t fully understand or embrace it.
As always, the list goes on. In all things, with God’s help, we seek to live lives of compassion, care, consideration, and love. Lives that look beyond ourselves and toward the common good. Lives that ultimately point to the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the hope that lies therein.
So today, remember to consider others—their interests, their perspectives, their stories, their well-being. All throughout our lives, may we learn to look beyond ourselves, as together, we continue to become the people God calls and invites us to be.