“I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state; for all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s” (Philippians 2:19-20).

Own (Def): (Gr.): Heautou from autos: Self, myself, itself

There is a dichotomy, a divison, a contrast within us who belong to Christ, and that division is between our own will, our own interests, our own pursuits or goals, our own safety and security and those things that pertain to the Spirit of the Son within us. The Apostle addressed this issue in his Epistle to the Philippians.

“All seek their own” is an indictment on those who were with Paul in his ministry before his imprisonment and their abandonment of him for their own safety upon his imprisonment.

“For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed to Thessalonica, Cresens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (II Timothy 4:10).

A glorious exception to this all seek their own was Timothy, who the Apostle praised and held up for an example of like-minded faithfulness to “the things which are Jesus Christ’s”.

Concerning the Apostle’s trial in Rome, Paul wrote to Timothy saying:

“At my first defense no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge” (II Timothy 4:16).

All seek their own, sadly seems to be common among us, rather than the exception. The Timothy’s among us are the exceptional ones, who remain faithful to the things that belong to Jesus and His interests, His business, His heart, His mind and His will. Instinctively we run away, we leave the situation, we forsake, abandon and leave to fend for themselves those who are in a situation that puts our interests at risk.

Have you experienced a test of your loyalty to Christ and His interests? Have you had to deny your interests, your ministry, your reputation, your calling, the honor you think your deserve and look entirely after the things that belong to Jesus?

Self-denial is never easy. That is why the grace of God is available to us. Who needs grace when you can do things yourself? The fact is denying self is one of those tests that requires all the grace we can receive from the Lord.

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, ‘If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me'” (Matthew 16:24).

Following Christ, taking up our cross, will lead us to “the things that are Jesus Christ’s”. What might these things be?

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Philippians 2:4).

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

“He said unto them, ‘How is it that you sought Me? Wist you not that I must be about My Father’s business'”? (Luke 2:49).

Let’s break the all seek their own mold, and let us become a new lump.

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:7-8).

The things that are Jesus Christ’s await us. Let us go out and be about them and let us be likeminded with Him who is Lord of All.

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