Humble In Glory

By Samantha Rodriguez

“Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.’”—Matthew 12:15–21 (NIV)

Have you ever watched the TV show Undercover Boss? I think this show is so funny and clever because it puts the boss at an equal level with the rest of the employees. Most of the time, this exposes the real behavior and attitudes of the employees. Without the prestige or the power, an employee will either treat the boss kindly or rudely. With most of us, though, it’s easy for someone in a position of power to cause us to act a different way. We try to gain the approval of those who might have more than us or be in some sort of way “above” us. This tends to happen because power is related to respect and authority, but this is also misconstrued by sin and evil because someone in a place of power can abuse it. Their motives for seeking the approval of others can be hypocritical.

When Jesus came to earth, however, He didn’t come in any sort of earthly glory. He left His glory in heaven and came humbly to earth. He was born to a young virgin girl and her husband. People probably gossiped about their situation. When traveling to Bethlehem for the census, it came time for her to give birth, so she had to settle in a cave-like stable for the animals of a local who didn’t have room left for them. Jesus was laid in a manger, and the first visitors He had were shepherds, people who society deemed as unimportant and unintelligent. They worshiped the baby Jesus with all their hearts and unashamedly ran into the town to share this wonderful news! Why wouldn't Jesus' following start to increase right then and there?

Well, the shepherd’s story probably didn’t make sense to people. How could the Messiah truly be a random baby in a manger? We know that all who heard this message were amazed (Luke 2:18), but this amazement didn’t lead them to go see and worship for themselves. Why am I recounting the story of Jesus’ birth? It’s the perfect setup for understanding what Jesus said in today’s passage. Jesus nearly always told those He healed not to spread the news, to keep it private, but they never did. Why would Jesus be so concerned with ensuring people didn’t talk about Him and His power? Because He didn’t come to flaunt His power or usurp any earthly authority. He came to offer freedom and salvation to those who would have the faith to trust Him despite His counter-cultural teaching and humble heart.

In the prophecy of Isaiah Jesus quotes, it says, “He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.” Jesus’ humility is not only an example to us, but it’s a challenge—a challenge of whether we’re willing to follow a truly humble King. Those who truly believe the truth of Jesus and in the work of Jesus will be those who receive a restored relationship with God and enter into the kingdom.

It’s like the boss who came undercover. Jesus is looking for those with pure hearts seeking to know Him more, not to abuse His power—and He came to the nations! He came to bring justice and peace to all who would receive Him, and when He comes again, this time, it will be in all the glory and power that belongs to Him!

Pause: Have you tried to use Jesus for personal gain at all? Consider what kind of power you might be craving that is hindering you from following Jesus’ humble example.

Practice: Practice confession today. Be honest with Jesus about where it's hard for you to humble yourself and ask Him to humble your heart to be more like His. Invite a trusted friend or family member into this prayer with you.

Pray: Holy Father, You are so glorious! Yet You still humbled Yourself, Jesus, as the mighty Son of God, to take on human flesh and decline the flashy display of power and prestige that the world views as desirable. Thank You for showing us that a humble, gentle, and lowly heart is what brings true peace. I confess that I do not always have a humble heart. I have even viewed my faith as something I can hold over others, and I ask Your forgiveness. Humble me, Lord, keep me dependent on You. I worship You today! Amen.