Paul reminded the Philippians of the attitude of humility that Jesus had. Philippians 2:6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.[1]
Jesus’ Rights and Privileges
Jesus is God and had been present at creation. John 8: 58 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I am![2] As God, Jesus had the authority and rights of a deity, yet, He gave these up to serve humankind. Jesus coming as God, but in the form of a human, is the ultimate expression of self-denial.
Paul’s Example of Humility
Paul gave the Philippians an example from his own life. They knew and loved Paul, and he reminded them of his story. Philippians 3: 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.[3]
Fame and fortune become worthless when compared with knowing Jesus as Lord. Paul persecuted Christians until he came to understand who Jesus was. This refocused him, and he desired the church in Philippi to do the same.
Our Attitude of Humility
Our sinful nature wants us to make ourselves first. We naturally care for ourselves first and desire the credit and glory we think we deserve. But as followers of Christ, we are to live as He did. Jesus had helped create the world and sat on a throne in heaven. Yet, he humbled Himself to be born as a human in a stable. He knew the cross was coming, but He bore the pain and suffering to pay the price of our sins. Crucifixion was for criminals, and Jesus allowed people to think He was one. He did this out of love for us.
So, we must also put others first. This doesn’t mean we continually downgrade ourselves, but we see ourselves through the eyes of Jesus. We are nothing without Him and His saving grace. When we move our focus from ourselves to Jesus, we desire to serve the Lord. As we serve the Lord, we often become His hands and feet on this earth to help others with an attitude of humility. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/live-with-attitude
[1-3]Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.