At Christmas, it’s easy for us to focus just on what Jesus did for us. That’s understandable as Jesus accomplished a heck of a lot for us in his 30 odd years of life, starting with his incredible birth. However, we can learn a lot by thinking about what Christmas meant for Jesus.
The Inside Scoop in Philippians 2
We get a glimpse of Jesus’ perspective in our last passage in this series. It’s another text not usually considered a “Nativity” passage. It comes from Philippians 2: 6-11. In the midst of this letter to the church at Philippi, the apostle and author Paul urges the church members to be humble with one another. He calls them to live selflessly, like Jesus did:
Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Christmas Through Jesus’ Eyes
This poem reminds us of what the Christmas story was like from Jesus’ perspective. Jesus was up in heaven. He had everything he needed. He is and was one with the Father. Jesus received the same glory and honor as God did, and rightfully so.
Despite this, he was willing to put that all aside, to leave that glory and power behind, and to be born as an infant. He lived inside Mary’s womb for nine months. Jesus was born in the same blood and mess as every other baby. He pooped in diapers. He breastfed. As a young boy he fell and skinned his knee. In his teen years, he went through the awkwardness of puberty. Jesus entered into the mess of humanity and felt the out of control-ness of being alive on earth, all for our sakes.
He gave up all his comfort, power, control, and glory simply because God asked him too and because he loved us. He knew what his human life would be like. The plan God had for him was no surprise. He knew he would have to die. Despite all that, he was still willing to enter into the human experience.
Jesus was obedient and humble, even when it was uncomfortable. He didn’t have to do that. As a kid, he could have called lightening down to smite his parents when they didn’t let him do what he wanted. But he didn’t. He humbly submitted to their authority, even though they were mere mortals and he was God incarnate.
What Jesus’ Humility Teaches Us
Paul in Philippians urges us to do the same. We’re to submit in humility, even if we know it will be uncomfortable. It might be unfair, but God wants us to submit anyway. We’re to put others before ourselves.
This isn’t an easy thing to do. It honestly takes a lot of courage in addition to humility. It also requires us to trust that God’s plan is the best plan, even when it doesn’t seem that way. We’re to choose the way of humility, even when it seems to us that the way of glory would be better.
In showing humility, we do two things. One, we pass on the humility and mercy that we’ve received from God through Christ to others. As Christ was willing to be humbled for our sakes, we should be willing to be humbled for the people Christ died to save.
Secondly, we honor God by our obedience, even when it’s hard. Sure, God is pleased when we obey him and it makes perfect sense to us. I think though he might be more pleased when we’re willing to do what he says when it doesn’t make sense. Doing things that don’t make sense but that God tells us to do is one way that we can grow our faith. We do the right thing, not because it seems like a great idea to us, but because God told us to do it.
I’m going to admit, I’m not always great at this (either the humility thing or the obeying God when it doesn’t make sense thing). However, I know it’s important and I know it’s something God’s called me to do. I know that because it’s what God called Jesus to do and we’re to imitate him.
May this next year be a year where you continue to be molded more and more into the shape of Christ. Merry Christmas to you and yours! May you take time to really think and thank God for what he has done through Christ!