Having little concern for others is often expressed in the five following ways:

I. Isolation

We must be careful not to isolate our work or ourselves from others.  Isolation says, I don’t care about what God is doing in your life and it can be interpreted as I am too good for you or I have arrived or I don’t want to associate with you or I have nothing to learn from you and don’t want you to learn from me.

“Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.  If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody” (Galatians 6:2-3).

II. Disinterest

Our human nature wants us to think about, talk about, and promote our work or ourselves.  Unfortunately, human nature also has a way of keeping us from recognizing when that is all we are doing. 

It easy to be consumed by our own ambition, and our own ambition can sometimes be mistaken as vision.  “Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing” (Philippians 2:4).   Note that in the prior verse it says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit [pride], but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” NIV

We need to guard ourselves from being so obsessed with our work that it is all we talk about.  We need to take the time to find out and show genuine interest in what God is doing through other people and their work.

III. Criticism

Beware when you find yourself being critical of others and the work they are doing for God.  We don’t know the sacrifice others have made to obey the call of God on their lives.  And, we have all felt the pain that criticism can cause, so why deliberately hurt others? 

“Don't speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God's law” (James 4:11).  Since Jesus was the fulfillment of the law, when we criticize others, we are in reality criticizing and condemning him.

When you find yourself being unjustly criticized find comfort in remembering that “it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong” (1 Peter 3:17).  Count it all joy that you can identify with Jesus.  For his ministry and personhood were also criticized. 

Christ’s character was criticized when he was accused of being a glutton and drunk (Matthew 11:19).  His motives were criticized when religious leaders falsely accused him of seeking personal gain by leading a revolt (Luke 23:13,14).  His timing was criticized when he healed on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6). 

His spiritual authority was criticized when he cast demons out of the demoniac (Matthew 12:24), healed the paralytic (Luke 5:21), and turned over the money changing tables in the temple (Luke 20:2). 

His qualifications were questioned and criticized when he taught his followers (John 7:46-49).  I am sure that his method was criticized when he spat in dirt, made mud and put it on the blind man’s eyes (John 9:6).  And, his relationships were criticized when they blamed him for being a friend of the worst kinds of sinners (Matthew 9:11; 11:19).

And when we find ourselves being criticized, we must be careful not to be overly concerned.  Donald Rumsfeld, America’s former Secretary of Defense once said, “If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.”[i]

IV. Dishonor

One of the greatest joys I have experienced in ministry was on a trip to Asia.  I watched as a director of one of largest discipleship ministries in the world stood before his peers.  Tears were rolling down his cheeks as he sincerely thanked and honored on older man who had helped the leaders of this discipleship ministry.

Romans 13:7 tells us that we should “give respect and honor to all to whom it is due.”  We have the wonderful opportunity to put this verse into practice. 

Scripture admonishes, “You younger men, accept the authority of the elders.  And all of you serve each other in humility, for ‘God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble.’  So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you” (1 Peter 5:5-6).

In Psalms 55, David expressed the grief of being dishonored by a friend, “It is not an enemy who taunts me — I could bear that.  It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me — I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you — my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.  As for this friend of mine, he betrayed me; he broke his promises. His words are as smooth as cream, but in his heart is war.  His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!”

Then David admonishes us, “Give your burdens to the Lord and he will take care of you” (vs. 22).

There is no question that as a young man David was better skilled than King Saul in some areas.  David was able to organize the troops, win battles, and was successful in everything he did.  However, David was not successful because he was talented.  The Bible makes it very clear that he was successful “because the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18:15). 

If anyone had a legitimate reason to disregard and dishonor first generation leadership it was David.  After all, Saul was so enraged with jealousy that he relentlessly tried to kill David even after David fled.  But David was a man after God’s own heart.

He never spoke badly about Saul to his men, and he never usurped Saul’s authority.  Ahimelech even asked Saul, "Is there anyone among all your servants who is as faithful as David?” (1 Samuel 22:14)

David had the opportunity, support, strategy, and ability to guarantee his position as king, but he could not, would not, usurp the throne.  He recognized that Saul was an anointed leader chosen by the Lord and that in order to have God’s favor he needed Saul’s blessing.

Even though his men were whispering in his ear, Now’s your opportunity!  David did not listen to them (1 Samuel 24:4).  Instead, he rebuked his colleagues and would not let them touch Saul either. 

David sincerely called Saul his king and bowed low before him.  He even referred to him intimately and respectfully as “father.”  He proved his loyalty by protecting and honoring Saul. 

As a result, Saul recognized David as the next leader of Israel and asked the Lord to bless him (1 Samuel 18-24).  David was successful because the Lord was with him.  The Lord was with David because David was humble.

“Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor” (Proverbs 29:23).

V. Secrecy

Secrecy creates unnecessary suspicion and mistrust.  Our human nature says, Don’t tell or show others how to succeed.  Just look out for yourself.  We have an innate disposition that is competitive, fearful, distrustful, and territorial. 

Thirty years ago a successful Christian businessman was invited to serve as a consultant at a meeting consisting of directors from several non-profit, non-government organizations that were doing the same kind of work.  He was a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable Club where professionals share resources to improve their businesses. 
He listened and observed as the directors interacted and gave reports.  At the end of the meeting he commented, “It’s a miracle you have gotten as far as you have.  If we conducted ourselves the same way you operate we would go bankrupt!”  He pointed out that no one was sharing the methods behind their financial success – no one had shared how they were being supported.  The directors were withholding information that could have helped one another.

Jesus said, “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving, large or small, it will be used to measure what is given back to you” (Luke 6:38). 

God wants us to share ideas, methods that work, and resources that He has freely given.  This way He can bless us even more.

“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”(Philippians 2:4).

Another way that secrecy often raises it's ugly head is through gossip and slander.  Sometimes people put out lures to others in order draw out negative information or "concerns" to be later used against them or the party they are talking about in a negative manner.

Be very careful not to entertain things that people say negatively about others especially when they tell you "not to tell" whoever it is they are talking about. That should always send up a warning flag that whatever they are saying is probably a rumor.  Satan loves secrecy. 

By including, showing interest, commending, honoring, and being opena and honest with people we can we discern, disarm, and destroy pride.