The J.O.Y. Defect

Dr. Spencer R. Fusselman

There is a civil war raging in every human heart, and it is a war over a single-letter word: "I."

We live in a culture that is fundamentally built on the worship of "I." My needs, my preferences, my comfort, my opinions, my ambitions. It’s a "me first" world, and as Pastor Steve hilariously pointed out, you see it most clearly on the freeway. The moment a light turns green, the person behind you is laying on their horn, furious that you dared to exist in their space for a fraction of a second. It's all about them.

The tragedy, as we all know, is that this "I" problem doesn't just stay on the freeway. It follows us right through the doors of the church. It’s the "my way or the highway" attitude that can infect a small group. It's the "selfish ambition" that causes factions. It’s the "conceit"—which literally means "empty pride"—that leads to the absurd, as Pastor Steve noted, like churches having massive discord over the color of the paint in the sanctuary .

This is the great joy-killer. And this week, Pastor Steve gave us the perfect acronym for the cure: J.O.Y. Jesus first. Others next. Yourself last.

 This is the divine prescription. But let’s be honest: that is a hard transition to make. It is impossible, in fact, without a supernatural heart transplant. It requires us to move ourselves off the throne of our lives and willingly, joyfully, put Christ at the center. To do that, we must stop looking at each other and start looking at Him. We must, as Paul commands, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).

Before we can ever act like Jesus, we must learn to think like Him. And the mind of Christ is built on a foundation of such profound humility that it should stop us in our tracks.

Paul gives us the most magnificent description of this mind. He says that Jesus, "being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God" (Phil. 2:6).

Let’s not read that too quickly. This is one of the strongest declarations of Christ's absolute divinity. He was God. He possessed the very nature and outward expression of God. He sat on the throne of the universe. Now, think about your "rights." The right to be respected. The right to your own time. The right to be heard. Jesus had the "right" to infinite glory, to the unending worship of angels, to a realm where no pain, sin, or suffering could touch Him.

But He "did not consider it robbery"—or, as some translations say, "something to be grasped"—to be equal with God. He didn't cling to His privileges. He saw a lost world, He saw you, and He refused to let His own comfort stand in the way. As Warren Wiersbe wrote, and Pastor Steve shared, the mind of Christ is an attitude that says, "I cannot keep my privileges for myself. I must Use them for others".

So what did He do? He "made himself of no reputation" (Phil. 2:7).

This is the great Kenosis, the divine emptying. It does not mean He stopped being God, as Pastor Steve clarified. He was, and always will be, fully God. It means He "waived his rights as deity". He laid them aside. He willingly, voluntarily, set aside the use of His divine attributes to live as a man.

Imagine a five-star general, decorated with every medal, possessing the authority to command armies of millions. Now, imagine him seeing a conflict in a remote village. Instead of just giving orders, he takes off his uniform, puts on the rags of a peasant, and enters the village to serve, to wash feet, and to die—all while never ceasing to be the General.

This is what Christ did. He went from the highest place of authority to the lowest place of service. This is the mind we are called to have. This "emptying" wasn't a single act; it was a relentless, seven-step descent into obedience. Look at the path He took:

• He "made himself of no reputation."
• He took the "form of a bondservant" —a slave, one who serves with a "disregard of his own interests".
• He came in the "likeness of men", embracing all our human frailty and temptation.
• He "humbled himself" as a man, refusing to "demand recognition".
• He became "obedient", submitting to the very earthly authorities He had created.
• He was obedient to the point of "death" , willingly laying down His own life.
• He endured "even the death of the cross" —the most gruesome, agonizing, and shameful death reserved for a criminal.

This is the mind of Christ. It is an attitude that always moves lower, always serves, always sacrifices, and always obeys, for the sake of others and for the glory of the Father. This is what it means to be a "Dead man walking," as Pastor Steve calls it. It is to say, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). It is the total annihilation of the "me first" attitude.

The Divine Pattern: The Way Down is the Way Up

If the story ended at the cross, it would be a tragedy. But it doesn't. After describing the lowest point of Christ's humility, Paul gives us the most powerful "Therefore" in Scripture. "Therefore God also has highly exalted him" (Phil. 2:9). This is the divine pattern for our lives. The way down is the way up. The path of humility is the only road to exaltation. The cure for our selfish ambition is to see that God only honors those who, like Christ, empty themselves. He was given "the Name" , the only name that saves, heals, and delivers . And because of His humble obedience, a day is coming when "every knee should bow... and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord".

So, how do we get this mind? We start by practicing it. We "esteem others better than" ourselves. We "look out not only for [our] own interests, but also for the interests of others".

Imagine walking into a crowded room. The mind of "I" scans the room for a seat, for people to talk to, for a way to be comfortable. The "mind of Christ" scans the room for someone standing alone, for a chair to give up, for a chance to serve. The mind of "I" looks for the throne. The mind of Christ looks for the towel and the basin.

The cure for our selfish, joyless, strife-filled lives is to become so obsessed with the glory of Jesus that we forget to be obsessed with ourselves. Let us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, stop fighting for our own way and start fighting for the interests of others. That is the mind of Christ. That is the only path to true J.O.Y.

1. Intentionally "Esteem Others Better"

This week, make a conscious effort to fight against the "me first" attitude. This starts in your mind. Before a conversation, ask yourself, "How can I make this person feel heard?" rather than "What do I want to say next?" When you feel a flash of impatience—in traffic, in a line, or at home—intentionally choose "lowliness of mind". This means actively deciding that the other person's need for space, time, or grace is more important than your own preference in that moment. This is the first step in developing the "mind of Christ".

2. Actively "Look Out for the Interests of Others"

Move from a passive mindset to an active one. Don't just avoid being selfish; actively look for someone else's need and meet it, even when it's inconvenient. This could be practical: see a need at home (like a chore) and do it without being asked. It could also be relational: notice someone who is struggling or grieving and "come alongside" them with the "comfort of love". This requires you to "die to yourself" and your own agenda to participate in their need.

3. Embrace the "Form of a Bondservant"

Jesus, who was God, willingly took the "form of a bondservant". A bondservant is one who serves "at the disregard of his own interests". This week, choose the task that no one else wants. Take on the humble, unseen job that offers no glory. It might be washing the dishes, taking out the trash, or letting someone else have the credit for a job well done. This act of humility is a powerful way to make Christ's example your own and allow Him to live through you