Philippians 2:1-11: a reflection

1If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, 2make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. 5Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Paul calls the Philippians to a humility that counts others better than themselves, and he grounds it in the supreme example of Christ. Have this mind in you, he says, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not grasp at his equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, humbling himself even to death on a cross. Christ, though God, emptied himself, took the lowest place, and humbled himself to the utmost; and Paul calls us to have that same mind, that same humility, in ourselves.

Notice the humility of Christ, and the call to share his mind. Christ was in the very form of God; yet he did not cling to his rightful glory, but emptied himself, took the form of a servant, humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the death of the cross. He who was highest took the lowest place, for our sake. And Paul calls us to have this same mind: to count others better than ourselves, to look to others' interests, to humble ourselves as Christ humbled himself. The humility we are called to is patterned on Christ's own self-emptying.

That call is worth taking to heart, for the humility of Christ is the pattern for our own. We are prone to pride, rivalry, self-seeking, looking to our own interests and counting ourselves better than others; but Christ, though God, emptied himself and took the lowest place, and we are called to have his mind. Have in yourself the mind of Christ, who emptied himself and humbled himself for others; count others better than yourself, look to their interests, take the lower place, as Christ did. Do not act from rivalry or conceit, seeking your own; let the self-emptying humility of Christ be the pattern of your own mind, as Paul urges, have this mind in you which was in Christ Jesus, who, though in the form of God, emptied himself and humbled himself even to death on a cross. Follow the pattern of Christ's humility, counting others better than yourself, as he took the lowest place for you.

Lord, Paul calls the Philippians to a humility that counts others better than themselves, and he grounds it in the supreme example of Christ. Have this mind in you, he says, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not grasp at his equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, humbling himself even to death on a cross. Christ, though God, emptied himself, took the lowest place, and humbled himself to the utmost; and you call me to have that same mind. Show me the humility of Christ, and the call to share his mind. Christ was in the very form of God; yet he did not cling to his rightful glory, but emptied himself, took the form of a servant, becoming obedient even to the death of the cross. He who was highest took the lowest place, for my sake. And you call me to have this same mind: to count others better than myself, to look to others' interests, to humble myself as Christ humbled himself. Take that call to my heart, for the humility of Christ is the pattern for my own. I am prone to pride, rivalry, self-seeking, looking to my own interests and counting myself better than others; but Christ emptied himself and took the lowest place. Help me have in myself the mind of Christ, who emptied himself and humbled himself for others; help me count others better than myself, look to their interests, take the lower place, Lord, as Christ did. Keep me from acting from rivalry or conceit; let the self-emptying humility of Christ be the pattern of my own mind.