The Uniqueness of JesusSample

The Humble Servant

So much of Jesus’ birth story astounds me when I read it. It is filled with a gruelling 90-mile journey for Joseph and a heavily pregnant Mary, the surprise and stress around having your first baby, then on top of that, the inability for them to secure a safe place for Jesus’ birth. Mary and Joseph really found themselves in dire circumstances.

Yet, in all this mess and darkness and dirt is the story of Jesus’ birth, and it shows us something incredibly important about Jesus.

He came to earth in great humility.

Now, to really understand how key Jesus’ humility is, we need to know that Jesus could have come to earth with great pomp and fanfare. He could have come as the Angel of God, or to have been born into a royal or rich family. But He didn’t. Even though He was worthy of coming in greatness and power (He is God after all), He chose not to.

Through Jesus, God shows us who He is. He is humble, not proud. He is willing to be brought low, rather than to be elevated. He seeks to serve, rather than to be served.

We see Jesus’ humility expressed throughout his earthly life too. In Matthew 20, Jesus calls Himself a servant, a slave, one who came to serve. Then in John 13, Jesus takes the lowly position of washing the disciples’ feet – a job usually done by the household servant. He wanted to demonstrate to his disciples just how much He loved them, and to teach them that true greatness comes from serving others. But He also did this to set an example for them (and for us) to follow!

In the same way that Jesus sought to serve and love others, so should we. In the same way that Jesus was humble, so should we be. A very common quote about humility rings true here: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.”

I think that if we were to fully grasp the truth that Jesus, our Lord and King, became a humble servant for us, it would change the way we lived our lives and how we behaved towards others. Would you seek to be like Jesus today – a humble servant?

Reflection

In what way could you be humble like Jesus and serve those around you today?

Prayer

Jesus,

There is no one quite like You. Although You could have come to earth as a great spectacle, You chose to come in humility as a baby born in a manger. Thank you for showing me what true humility looks like - not thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less.

In the same way that You devoted Your life to serving others instead of being served, help me to live in this way too. Help me to be humble, looking out for opportunities to care for and love people around me.

This Christmas, reveal to me, Lord, someone who is in need. Show me how I can help to meet their need, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual. I want to be of great service to those around me at this time.

In Your name, I pray, Amen.