1. The growing selfishness and pride of the Philippians must be replaced with selflessness and humility.  Pride destroys relationships and hinders ministry now as then.

2.  Timothy is a prime example of humility.  He genuinely cared for the Philippians.  He put the needs of others ahead of his own.  They did not know Jesus when He walked the earth but they could see Jesus in Timothy.

3.  Gene Getz suggests the following questions based upon this passage:

-What do people say about me?  Do I get positive feedback from those closest to me that would indicate that I have a good reputation as a Christian—from my wife, my children, my friends?

-Do more and more people seek me out as a person and share their lives with me?  Do people trust me with confidential information?

-Do my relationships with people grow deeper and more significant the longer they know me and the closer they get to me?  Or do my relationships grow strained and shallow as people learn to know what I am really like?

-Am I using my age or some other psychological or physical problem as an excuse to keep me from becoming a mature Christian personality?