One quality that really impresses God (and it’s not a very long list) is humility. Humility is one of those things that just when you think that you’ve got it, you don’t. And it’s one of those qualities of Jesus that is most evidenced in the lives of those who are genuinely seeking to imitate Him.
Jesus is fully God. He steps into the world as Immanuel “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In Colossians the Apostle Paul is writing to address issues that have arisen in the church in which some are questioning the deity of Christ. He affirms, “God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (Christ), and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things” (Colossians 1:19-20a).
And yet he “emptied Himself” and became “obedient to death, even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:7-8). And for this reason we are called to have the very same attitude and mindset as that of Christ Jesus (v5).
Jesus always goes about being “God with us” from a position of humility. It’s never a power play with Jesus. The only One who actually has the right to demand everything from a position of power because of who He is, comes to serve and comes to show us what true love and humility look like.
Too often we’re not enough like Jesus. We manipulate. We force. We coerce. That’s not Jesus….
Jesus’ call upon our lives is if we want to be His disciples we must first deny ourselves. And I believe humility plays a crucial role.
Jesus never forces Himself on anyone. “Do you want to be my disciple? Take up your cross and follow me,” He says. “Do you want to come and learn and share and be a part of the bigger picture and the things that I am about in the Kingdom? Good. Follow me.” Discipleship is a choice. Following Jesus is a choice. And humility is a choice.
When you are full of yourself, God cannot fill you. Only when we empty ourselves can our God fill us. Only when we empty ourselves of all pride and all arrogance and all selfishness… only when we “humble ourselves before the Lord” can He then lift us up (James 4:10).
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit… (Matthew 5:3).”
Maybe that’s a good place for us to start as well.
Glory to God!
Jason
