Monday 18th July - Philippians 2

Today’s chapter is Philippians 2, you can read it here

Tom writes:

It is the second humbling that is the real challenge.  One level of humbling ourselves is bad enough.  The second level is what really tests our resolve.  Jesus humbled himself once by not clinging onto his equality with God but choosing instead to become a human.  This involved a huge sacrifice of his eternal authority.  It involved him giving up unbroken intimacy with the Father and the untold riches of the heavenly realms.  Jesus had the perfect life but he chose to humble himself and give it up to become a human.  That was the first humbling.  Then, as a human, he chose not to use his unmatched intellect or his dynamic charisma to build his own career.  He chose not to see his unparalleled resources as things for his own benefit.  He resisted the urge to use his breath-taking skills to get a wife, a life and free himself from strife.  No, he chose to humble himself a second time choosing to die a reject’s death watched by only a handful of people outside of a city where thousands were thinking about something completely different. This second humbling puts my jaw on the floor. 

This second humbling shows me that my attitude is so very far from being like that of Jesus Christ.  If I ever choose to humble myself once I tend to feel a bit smug and thank God for my virtue. Have I even considered humbling myself twice??  Going beyond just giving stuff up but really choosing to do what is best for others even if they don’t notice it and I get no recognition??  I really want to be able to do it but it just seems so hard.  I take comfort from the fact that the Philippians were no better than me and yet Paul believed they could do it. I can indeed find encouragement from the fact that I have now been united with Christ.  If I place myself before him with “fear and trembling” then he can help me.  Nothing is impossible with God.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I can find joy and gladness and live a real life of pure love when I will myself to act in solidarity with the Son.

Question for reflection

What would double humility look like in your life?