Your attitude should be like that of Jesus Christ: who, having the nature of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking on the nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross!
—Philippians 2:5-8
Thoughts on today’s verse…
“Lord, humble us with humility.” This is one of my friends’ favorite prayer requests. I like it too. I want to be humbled, but not humiliated. However, thank God, Jesus was willing to be humbled, but not gently humbled. He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!He was willing to be humiliated to save us! I hate that he went through such pain. I am saddened that his self-emptying humility was harsh, cruel, callous, humiliating and humiliating. Jesus’ self-sacrificing love challenges me to adopt the same attitude! Jesus’ example challenges me to examine what I am willing to give up and endure in order to forgive those who have wounded me. I am overwhelmed by Jesus’ love for me, so I ask myself what I am willing to do to serve and reach those who are lost.
My prayer…
Lord, you are omnipotent, and yet you emptied yourself to redeem me. May I become more selfless in my attitude and behavior toward others, just as Jesus has been with me. Dear Lord, I need an inspiration, a special power of the Holy Spirit, so that I can become humble and live with the same self-emptiness before others “Love, joy, peace, tolerance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” As the soul is transformed like my Savior (Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Corinthians 3:18). In the name of Christ Jesus, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
