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Though He Was God

In order to be a good servant, one has first to establish himself in the love of Christ with great humility.—Basil of Caesarea

In today’s verses, Paul borrows an old hymn to demonstrate what perfect humility looks like. Jesus, though He was God, stepped down to earth and became human. He died on the cross for us, sacrificing Himself because of His great love for us. Jesus models for us the ultimate attitude of humility—but how do we obtain it?

Paul was addressing the issue of comparison among Christians, in some cases due to different religious backgrounds or socio-economic statuses. Many of us still experience a similar problem today. Have you ever felt your attitude grow negative as you compare yourself to someone else? Have you ever treated someone differently because they have more or less money than you? Do you ever get frustrated by people who look, act, or speak differently than you?

When we compare ourselves with others, it becomes easier to lose sight of how truly valuable every person is in God’s eyes. From God’s perspective, every person is made in His image, fully loved by Him, and worth Jesus’ life. When we approach others with any other frame of mind, we act outside of the humility modeled by Jesus and invite relational pain and unnecessary harm.

An attitude of humility can change everything. It helps us value others highly and invites them to see themselves as Jesus does. Practically, practicing humility can look like standing up to jokes about your coworker, making sure everyone at a table gets introduced, apologizing to your child, or sitting with someone who’s alone. It can mean praying blessings for people you disagree with, and seeking to understand their point of view. Jesus valued our lives as worthy of His own, so let’s follow in His footsteps and view those around us as full of value—worthy of our time, honor, and attention.

Pray: God, You made people in Your image. We all have so much value in Your eyes that You lived Your life—and ultimately gave it—to save us from ourselves. Help me practice Your kind of extraordinary humility in my everyday life, and lead me to treat others with the same love You have shown me. In Jesus’ name, amen.