Humiliation. Would you seek this for yourself?
Well, to be honest here, I can think of a million other things I'd rather seek after. I should know, because just yesterday, I found myself "running" from any inkling of humiliation that I felt, or predicted, was coming my way.
To willingly stand there and take the sting of a "slap" across your face whether deserved or not, is not something any of us naturally do.
Our natural bent is self-preservation. Sometimes at any cost. We love ourselves too much to set ourselves aside for another, especially when it is clear the other person does not deserve that act of mercy or kindness.
Humiliation hurts. Humiliation is vulnerable. Humiliation is low. Humiliation is unjust. So, why would we willingly seek after such for ourselves?
BECAUSE there is Someone greater than ourselves who is worthy to be the guide and leader of our every thought, word and action.
BECAUSE Jesus Christ modeled this exact thing for us BOTH the true reason behind choosing humiliation AND the true joy in personally owning such a deliberate choice.
The True Reason being:
GOD is GOD; Sovereign, Perfect, and Almighty over ALL creation. Nothing and no one is higher than He. Ever. He is GREATER in every way. Period.
The True Joy being:
The full demonstration of HIS LOVE by setting aside His Almighty power and position to rescue US from our deserved eternal condemnation due us because of our rebelling against Him.
I invite you, alongside me, to see anew this celebrated birth of Jesus at Christmas time as His invitation to follow His example of humiliation.
When we humble ourselves before God, we are surrendering our will, for His.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you release any area you are holding onto in your life.
"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had
to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.
Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity
and took on the status of a slave, became human!
Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process.
He didn't claim special privileges.
Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—
and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him
far beyond anyone or anything, ever,
so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—
would be raised up with Him, by faith."
(Phil. 2:5-11 MSG)
Reflect on the areas you need to bow down to Christ and repent of places in your life that are not under His Lordship.
Dear Jesus,
We thank you that you came as a humble baby, in humble surroundings, so you could be raised up and raise us up with you. Keep us from being prideful and self-reliant and instead, draw me further into your presence so I can know you more fully and love you more deeply. Amen.