Humbled

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8

I’d like to say it is 2020 that is bringing out so much griping and complaining, but Matthew 15:18 reminds us that it is out of the overflow of the heart that our mouths speak. Any griping and complaining has already been simmering in our hearts with or without 2020, and all it has brought. For an upcoming ladies’ event at our church, I am planning on having everyone write down as many things as they can think of to be specifically thankful for in 2020. Why? Because when trials, inconveniences or conflicts happen, we tend to focus only on the negative. It is as if we forget that the King of kings and Lord of lords is still reigning, still in control, still faithful, still loving us and still working for the good of His children and His glory.

You might be wondering what all this has to do with Philippians 2:5-8. This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. It leaves me in awe, but also cuts me to the heart with just how much Jesus sacrificed to make me His own, and how unlike Him I am. Have you ever stopped to really meditate on the implications of what Jesus did for you and me?

Verse 6 is a mind-blowing truth. I don’t think we can fully grasp all that Christ had in heaven but try to picture all you know of heaven from Scripture. Angels twenty-four/seven worship God. No sin. No aches and pains. No crying. All power. All authority. It’s perfect. Christ is God. He is equal with the Father. He deserves to be in Heaven and have all glory and honor. And yet, this verse says that He did not count that equality, that highest position of all authority and power, something to be grasped meaning He didn’t cling to it as His right.

Our society today is full of this right and that right. People sue over their “rights.” How tightly we cling to what we think we deserve, and yet the One who really deserved all of Heaven, all glory and honor, willing emptied Himself – gave up what was rightfully His to take the form of a human servant.

Now that is another truth that should give us pause. Think of all that goes with our human bodies – hunger, tiredness, pain, clothes, need of shelter, daily relationships with sinners. Christ could have come as a full-grown man – a king with everything and everyone at His beck and call – but again, He chose humility. He came as a baby. A baby! Totally dependent on a mother to feed Him, change Him, take care of His every need. And not a child of privilege, but the child of an average couple in a stable and because of the circumstances surrounding His birth, likely a family that lived with the condemnation of others. Christ did that for you. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that we have a High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses. That’s because He came as that little baby in a stable to experience everything that we go through as humans. Wow!

Verse 8 reminds us again that Christ was “found” in human form. Although still fully God, He was also fully human. The death He died and all that preceded it was not somehow lessened for Him as the Son of God. Physically, He experienced everything just the way you or I would.

Paul follows by saying that Christ humbled Himself by becoming obedient. Humbled means “to make low.” Christ willingly chose this obedience. How often are we humbled by others, by God or by our own poor choices? Not the way to be humbled. It is better when the humbling comes by our own willingness because we are obeying God.

Christ’s obedience to His Father extended to the very act of surrendering His own life, and it wasn’t just any death. Paul elaborates that it was death on a cross, the most humble way to die at that time. It was referred to as a cursed, painful and shameful way to die (Deuteronomy 21:23). I won’t go into all the details, but if you want an accurate picture of all Christ suffered for you in His death, watch the Passion of the Christ. Christ chose the pain, the humiliation, the mockery and being a public spectacle for you and for me.

Paul gives us the perfect model of being humble and putting others’ interests above our own. I cannot think of any time in my life that I have shown that degree of humbleness or have been faced with that severe a circumstance to choose as Christ did. I know there are many who do face incredible persecution for their faith today, but for most of us, our situations will never compare. Yet, we still often choose our own interests above humility. We know what Christ has done for us, and we still struggle with lesser sacrifice in our own lives.

Praise God for His grace! Even in our weak moments, He perfectly obeyed in our place, and lavishes His love and forgiveness on us. He gave us His Spirit to indwell us, strengthen us, and equip us to walk in grateful obedience.

Let’s return to verse 5 for a minute, the word mind can also be translated as attitude depending on your translation. The next phrase jumped out at me as I read it today, although I have read through Philippians numerous times – “which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Not a day goes by in which I don’t struggle with pride, but positionally because of Christ’s atoning work, the perfect humility that Christ had (and has) is mine. I have His perfect humble record. Pause and sit there for a minute. Rejoice in that hope and good news.

Regularly I choose my own interest over others’ interests. I know what God’s Word says, I have written about it, and yet, I still fail to live it. How thankful I am that when I come to God, He graciously forgives me and sees me with Christ’s perfect record. I can go forward with hope that His humbleness is mine, and in Christ, I have the ability to walk in it.

As I think about all that is going on this year or really at any time in my life, I look at my own heart. Am I following Jesus’ example? Am I humbling myself? Am I willing to give up my rights and be a servant in order to love others and consider their interests above my own as Jesus considered mine at the cost of His own life? Am I focusing on all the negatives around me and forgetting Who is still on the throne, Who sacrificed everything to redeem me and give me eternal life.

When we are angry, hurt, jealous, discontent or complaining, it is usually because we don’t have something that we think we deserve, or because we are getting something that we think we don’t deserve. Are we clinging to what we consider our rights? What are you clinging to in pride that you need to let go of in humility?