Inspired by Philippians 2:1-11
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited.” Philippians 2:3-6
We want to be right. We want to be special. We want to be recognized, and admired. It’s hardwired into our human nature. And as the beloved children of God, heirs with Christ to the kingdom of heaven, we do have claim to a certain status.
But Christians who claim an elevated status and try to enjoy its benefits here on earth forfeit their rights to that claim. We are Christians because we follow Christ, and Christ, though he was God, did not claim his rightful special status over us. Rather he humbled himself to be our servant, enduring suffering and death in order to achieve our salvation. His actions demonstrated that he valued our lives above his own, our well-being above his own, and our interests above his own. If we are going to claim to be followers of his, then we must treat every other sinner in this world no less than Christ treated us. We may be heirs with him to the kingdom of heaven, and we may have a certain status because of it, but that status does not elevate us on this earth above others. If anything, it obligates us to a life of servitude to all of God’s creation.
It was, after all, Christ’s servitude to all of God’s creation that made us heirs with him in the first place.
Let us pray. Exalted God, through Christ’s life and death you experienced humility. Enable us to embrace that same spirit of humility before others, that we may be of one mind with Christ Jesus and demonstrate your love to all whom we encounter. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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