I heard this story a few nights and it captures an essential truth about following Jesus.

In the 1900s, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, wanted to send a telegram to all of his officers around the world.

Since each word in a telegram cost a few cents, the always frugal Booth wanted to use compose a note of just one word. He thought a long time about what that one word should be.

The telegram eventually sent did contain just one word. That word was “OTHERS.”

Catherine Booth once said, “You are not here in the world for yourself. You have been sent here for others. The world is waiting for you.”

Philippians, 2:3-4 — “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”