Christians. We all know a few. And although we’re all called to a higher standard, sometimes we can fall short. It’s part of being human.

This past week in my devotions, I’ve been focusing on Philippians. In Paul’s letter to Philippi, Paul hopes to send Timothy to Philippi to get an assessment on the Philippians.

Paul writes, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 2:19-21

When reading this, I immediately wondered if Paul would say the same thing today. Are we seeking our own interests, instead of those of Jesus Christ? Are we genuinely concerned for other people’s welfare? Or do we say “maybe later” when someone needs help?

It’s really easy to read verses 19 through 21 and say to ourselves, “I don’t seek my own interests; I only seek God’s. I’m genuinely concerned about other people.”

If this is genuinely true for you—I am glad. But I also find that many will read a Bible verse about the ‘other’ people who have ‘fallen away’, and then pat themselves on the back because at least they’re one of the good ones.

Don’t fool yourself. This is not the time to be prideful.

So, take a moment this week to ask those around you if they think you hold yourself to God’s standards. Ask a family member. Ask a trusted friend.

If you don’t hear a resounding “yes, absolutely!”, then maybe this is a wake-up call to reconsider your priorities.

In conclusion: let’s be like Timothy. I think this passage shows us how hard it is to find a fully devoted believer. Let us take this to heart.

How have your devotions going lately? If you’ve made a new insight, share it in the comments below.