Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Last Sunday, Pastor Herk of Little Church in the Pines preached on the example of humility and servanthood that our Lord Jesus Christ gave us to emulate towards those around us. Jesus demonstrated humility in one way by coming from Heaven to Earth and washing the feet of His Apostles. When we choose to exercise humility as disciples, we look most like Christ to the world around us. As disciples (literally student/followers) of Jesus Christ, we are supposed to be having people see Christ through us. We identify with Jesus by the way we treat other people, reminded of our position before Almighty God. Humbly remember God’s upside-down principle taught by Jesus in Matthew 20:16 “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” We serve God by serving others. We are never too big to practice humility.
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
There are times in our lives when we’ve acted more arrogant and brazen than we’d like to admit. Remember what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus, being more Christ-like. That is easier said than done because we are talking about the unequalled very Son of God here, but should have our lives modelled after.
Philippians 2:5-11 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The Apostle Paul give some specifics that we can all get onboard with. (1) Do not take advantage of your position; don’t lord yourself over others. Those blessed to be in positions of leadership, good leaders are good examples of humility and servanthood. Jesus had all the power in the Universe and opportunity to abuse His position as King of kings and Lord of Lord, but instead chose to lay it all aside and be the example of humility and servanthood for us to serve others. Jesus humbly gave Himself and was constantly meeting the needs of others. A humility that ultimately led Him to the Cross.
What about our life story? Sometimes, we have a little kingdom of our own that we hang onto too tightly. Sometimes, we have dreams and aspirations that we try to hang onto.
Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on Christ-like humility in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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