Focus: Our Humble Lord!

Text: Phil.2:8

"He humbled himself."

Christ, the word made flesh… Christ, the Son of God… Christ, the miracle worker… Christ, the healer… Christ, the seed of Abraham and the root of David…Christ, the one who spoke and it was done, who commanded and it stood still… Christ, the maker of the heaven and the earth…

While here on earth He humbled Himself. He voluntarily and willingly took the lowest place. From the age 12, when He appeared in the temple, to the age of 33, when in the Garden of Gethsemane He surrendered to the will of His Father and accepted to die on the cross, it was a life of total loyalty and humility to God.

No one in Christ's presence ever felt small, despised, rejected or unwanted. He treated every man with honor and all humanity with dignity. He was loyal to His earthly parents and learned obedience from His ordeals. He saw virtually nothing to be proud of about this life and certainly nothing to raise His shoulders for. He came to earth for the serious business of eternity, not to flaunt Himself, nor to parade His pre-incarnate glories. He had no time for vanities or vain glory. Humility was His regal toga.

Where in the world are you going with all of that arrogance? Tell me, what do you have that you did not receive from God? What is it to really brag about in this life? I see nothing but a silly reason behind man's attitude of pomposity.

Jeremiah says, "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the WISE man glory in his wisdom, neither let the MIGHTY man glory in his might, let not the RICH man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me…" (Jer.9:23,24). Wisdom, might and riches are not solid grounds for anyone to boast. Nothing of this world can truly satisfy.

Do your best to be humble. Understand that all you own in this life you owe to God. Nothing is really your own. There is absolutely nothing for anyone to gain in being arrogant.

It really makes no sense for a Christian to brag either by words or by attitude. Of all pride, the religious one seems the most sickening. The Scripture says, "The Pharisee stood and PRAYED THUS WITH HIMSELF, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess" (Lk.18:11-12). The flesh is both highly religious and religiously proud. Tell me, what is there to brag about when grace has been in charge from creation to redemption, and from the inception of time to the consummation of all things?

Truly, there is no wisdom in being proud. Check out this acronym of EGO: Edging God Out. Enthroned ego is terrible. It is self at the center of existence. The ego makes us believe that life is first and foremost about me and me, and more of me. It asserts that no one else is as important as me, and no one deserves the first place or the best of anything but me. It projects the attitude of self-centeredness in everything.

Child of God, be humble! Even our Immanuel, God among men, humbled Himself in all dimensions of His earthly life. He was sane in an insane world.

Hear me, God is ever on the side of the humble. He gives grace to the humble. He exalts the humble. He favors the humble. Let's follow in the steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is honor in being humble - yes, dignity in humility! Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter