PHILIPPIANS 2:5–11 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE PLACE HUMILITY GROWS. Quick quiz. What is the greatest virtue and pursuit in the Christian life? Yes, you are right – love. The “answer key” to our one question quiz is found in the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians – So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). The importance of this virtue cannot be understated. Again, back to the “answer key” establishing the necessary place of love in the Christian life – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Basically, we may have great knowledge of the Bible, God and the Christian life and give ourselves over to huge amounts of service for the Lord, and if neither are motivated and sustained by love, both are worthless. In fact, everything in our relationship with the Lord, His people, and His church that is not fueled by love is of no value, now and on the Day of Judgment. But we need to go a little deeper.
Before a life of love is established in the heart of a Christian, there is the necessity for the proper “soil” to exist so love may grow, even blossom. The “soil” we need? It is what we read of in today’s scripture – humility. Without humility established through a deep work of the Holy Spirit in us, love simply cannot grow. A proud heart will be a loveless heart.
Though humility is a fruit from the Spirit of God, we have a responsibility to cooperate with Him. How so? Well, spend time meditating on today’s scripture and particularly where the Apostle Paul points us toward the greatest act of humility ever on display – the Lord Jesus suffering death on a cross. Go often to the gospel accounts of Christ crucified. Read of His sufferings. Listen to His cries from the cross. And then sit back and remember, He did this voluntarily in submission to the Father’s will and for our salvation. Here is where humility grows. Here is the place the proper “soil” for love to grow enters the heart. So, want to be controlled by Christ’s love? Of course we do and it all begins, not with love, but with humility and then the love grows and flows from us.
PRAYER: “Father, may I be a teachable child of Yours in the process of developing humility.”
QUOTE: “All the knowledge of the Lord we acquire will mean nothing without humility that produces love.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim