Practicing the humility of Christ

Philippians 2:3-8 (Message)

Don’t push your way to the front.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.  Think of yourselves the way Jesus thought of Himself.  He was God….but He took on the status of a slave……an incredibly humbling process.  He didn’t claim special privileges.  Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient life……

This passage speaks about the mind of Christ, a mind of humility.  When you read the above paraphrase from Eugene Peterson’s The Message, you read the description of Christ.  He did nothing that was selfish or conceited.  He regarded others as more important than Himself.  He looked out for the interests of others as much or more than for His own interests.  He lived a life that was the supreme example of the right attitude to have on this earth.  He was divine, but did not act superior over others.  In fact, He “emptied Himself” (verse 2:7, NASB) and took on the status of a slave (bond-servant).  He humbled Himself even to the point of suffering as He did and dying on the cross.  Have you not seen “The Passion of the Christ” and easily conclude that Jesus was the most humble man on earth to put up with what He did even though He had the power to crush all His opposition.  Our finite minds cannot grasp such humility.  Saint Augustine once said, “God has humbled Himself, but man is still proud. 

Humility, of course, is the opposite of pride.  Pride is the number one reason for people committing sin.  Read Proverbs 16:18, 18:12; and Jeremiah 49:16.  You want to be honored in your life?  Then remember Proverbs 15:33—“Before honor comes humility”.  The word “humility” in the Hebrew means “gentleness”; in the Greek “bring low”.  These are concepts laughed at by the world.  Yet, remember that God commanded His children not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2) and not to love the things of and in the world (I John 2:15-16).  

In the verses above, as you think about your own life, are you convicted by any of these that you know describe you?  Have you put yourself before others?  Have you acted selfishly?  Have you ever been described as conceited?  Would others describe you as humble or something less honorable? 

Who in your life lives an example of humility?  Who exemplifies Christlikeness in your life?  Why?  What is it that they do?  One trait I always find with humble people is their high concern for others without ever bringing attention to themselves.  When you talk with others is the focus of the conversation about you or about them?  How much interest do you show with others about their lives?  How much thought and prayer do you put in on behalf of others compared to yourself?  Would others describe you as humble?  How can you live your life starting right now so that humility can become a descriptor of your life?