What about me?

I wanted to share something with you all today. This is from Phillipians 2:5-7

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

I have been meditating on this passage for a few weeks now and considering how it applies to us as we pursue God and use our gifts to His glory.

What really strikes me is the scripture that says, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped..."

So Jesus, who in his very being is God. We in our very being are human. You boil us down to brass tacks and the bottom line, we are just human. If we were to have enough immuno-suppressive drugs, we could swap bits and pieces and quite possibly survive using each others 'not so spare parts' for a short period of time because we are all human. We are all made from the same 'stuff'.

But Jesus is God and he did not view equality with God something to be held on to, coveted, or claimed as a right. He freely gave it up and became a servant. In fact he became a slave to the lowest slave.

You have all heard of the caste system in India and heard about the untouchable caste, right? Well there is actually a caste below the untouchable caste that the untouchables will not even interact with, they are called, for lack of a better term, people of the night. Sociologists did not even know of their existence up and till a few years ago.

God put on a robe of flesh and came to serve them.

Now here is the kicker, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus;" We should all strive to be slaves. Giving up everything that we would hold as a right or privilege and wrap the towel around our waist to wash the feet of those we come in contact with.

A slave?!?!?!?!?!? I can't be anyone's slave!!!! I have aspirations, hobbies, reality shows I keep up with!!! I can't be a slave!!! I want people to serve my needs, wash my car, clean my house, do my laundry, mow my lawn....

Another kicker;

Matthew 20:20-28

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
"What is it you want?" he asked.
She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
"We can," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

If I really want to be great, I must become a servant.

But if I really want to be a person of renown, a person of significance, truly great, I must become a slave. Because just as Jesus came not to be served (which was his right), he came to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

Do you think Jesus looked forward to becoming a servant as his ministry?

I believe whole-heartedly yes! I think he eagerly anticipated getting to love on those he created, to relieve them of their suffering, and to demonstrate the amazing all consuming love of God. First John tells us that God is love. What is the easiest way to demonstrate love? Heal someone of a burden, illness, sorrow or affliction. And that is what Jesus did, he came and healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, raised the dead, fed the hungry, and freed the chained.

But did Jesus look forward to the give his life for the ransom of many part? It is recorded that he prayed that if it is at all possible, let this cup pass from me, Father. But not my will but Yours be done. Jesus understood the beating he would take, the suffering he would endure, and the pain he would bear and because he was God as man, I don't think he necessarily looked forward to those few hours. But because he was a duolos, a slave, of the Lord Most High, he walked that road freely and without regret for he knew the promise of reconciliation was about to be fulfilled.
So how can we be servants? Where do we begin?

Grace and Peace,