What Humility Looks Like
By Kristen Terrette
“… rather, He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Philippians 2:7
Few enjoy being the lowest in any pecking order. Rarely does one begin a new job without wanting a promotion, especially as we grow in competency. As a small business owner, my husband is his own boss. Despite holding the highest rank in his company, he has goals he pursues. He desires to expand and wants his profit margins to grow.
To our human thinking, today’s verse is baffling. In the letter it appears in, Paul admonished the church in Philippi to live humbly, as Christ demonstrated. He included what some scholars believe was an early hymn similar in style to the Psalms, to show Christ’s example of ultimate humility.
Paul painted a picture of Christ—fully God, emptying Himself of glory and position, to take on (adding to His nature) the rank of a mere man, a servant to the Creator. Paul used the Greek word doulos, meaning slave.
But Jesus knew what was necessary. He knew we were separated from God and needed to be reconciled to Him.
So, He set aside His rank and joined us on earth to do what we could not—live a sinless life. He lived as a perfect Man knowing His death would substitute for ours. He would, and did, take our punishment. I pray this verse pops into my mind often, reminding me of Jesus’ astounding love. May its message urge us to live a life full of love and humility.
Kristen Terrette holds a Master's degree in Theological Studies and served as a Children's Ministry Director for five years. She cherishes her Southern roots and currently lives 45 minutes outside of Atlanta, GA. She’s following her dream by writing Christian fiction during the day and being a wife and mom come early afternoon when the family starts to arrive home. She also serves on the Wholly Loved Ministries team, serves at her local church on the women's leadership team, and writes for Crosswalk.com. To see her blog and novels, check out her website.
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