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The
Humility Of Jesus
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and
was made in the likeness of men: And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name." Phil. 2:5-9.
Jesus was a perfect pattern in
every phase of humanity. His example of humility is the
standard for us. We see His example to us corresponds with
God's requirement of us. The Father could not have
fulfilled His design in the Son, had He not kept under His
mighty hand every moment. Jesus acknowledged that He could
of Himself do nothing. It was the Father that dwelt in Him
who did the work; but that work could never have been done
through Him, had He not humbled Himself to every precept
of the Father's will.
Notice in the text, we are told
what He did with Himself. God did not humble Him nor
compel Him to take this lowly position. He did it Himself,
of His own free will. He "made Himself of no
reputation," and "humbled himself." From
the highest reputation in heaven He descended to the
lowest plane of no reputation on earth. From the exalted
position of equality with God in heaven, He descended to
the plane of the most humble servant on earth. He truly
counted all things of honor and advantage but loss, for
the blessed privilege of doing the Father's will, to
redeem us unto God.
Now there is no question about this
being a great humiliation to Him. His servant life on
earth was one of continual self denial and hardship. Think
of it, the Son of God, the most honored of heaven, taking
a place on earth as a homeless mortal, even below the
foxes and birds, not having a place to lay his head. When
He had accomplished His mission on earth in going about
doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil, He humbled Himself yet more, and took the place of
the most dishonored of earth, being numbered with the
transgressors, and died on the cross. Greater humiliation
cannot be comprehended.
Thank God, we see the exaltation of
Jesus was in proportion with His humiliation. He humbled
Himself under the mighty hand of God, and was exalted in
due time. Now He speaks through His apostle Peter to us,
with the command to humble ourselves likewise, and, as in
the text, we are admonished to let this same mind be in
us—this same humility that can cheerfully follow the
footsteps of Jesus into every detail of our Father's will.
As He came to do the will of God, so we must do the same.
We may never be called to die as cruel or shameful a death
as He did and it is impossible that God's purpose in our
death could ever be what it was in that of our Redeemer.
But is very clearly set forth in His will concerning us,
that our life should be completely yielded up to Him for
service or sacrifice, just as He may be the most glorified
thereby.
The very least that we possibly can
do for Jesus, to be consistent with His great love
wherewith He loved us, and our profession of love to Him,
is to yield ourselves up to the will of God, as freely for
Him as He did for us—to humble ourselves as willingly
under the mighty hand of God for Jesus' sake as He did for
our sakes. If we can share with Him in His humility, we
may also share with Him proportionately in His exaltation.
In His prayer (John 17:24) he says, "Father, I will
that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given
me." First, the humiliation, then the exaltation. The
one we must do ourselves through grace. The other God does
for us.
Oh, let us follow our blessed
Example, the meek and lowly One, that we may be able to
perfectly represent Him in this sinful world!
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