How lovely God is Pt 26: Imitate Christ’s humility

Philippians 2:5-11                 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!  9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Have Christ’s mindset

Christian humility is not about having low self-esteem or pretending we have no gifts.  It is about choosing to place God’s will and other people’s good above our own comfort, status, and recognition.  Paul has just said we are to do “nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,” but to “value others above yourselves” (Phil. 2:3).  That kind of living does not come naturally — it requires a transformed way of thinking.

Jesus is our model because He had every right to insist on His own honor.  Paul reminds us that Christ was “in very nature God” (Phil. 2:6).  He did not become divine later; He always was divine.  Yet He did not cling to His rights or use His position for personal advantage.  Instead, He chose the path of self-giving love.

This is important for us to grasp: humility is not about weakness; it is about willingness.  Jesus willingly laid aside His privileges in order to accomplish God’s redemptive plan.  In the same way, humility in our lives shows up when we willingly let go of the need to be first, to be praised, or to be proven right.

In everyday life, this mindset might look like listening instead of interrupting, serving instead of being served, forgiving instead of keeping score, and choosing peace over pride.  It may mean staying faithful in unseen obedience, trusting that God sees even when others do not (Matt. 6:4).  When we adopt Christ’s mindset, our relationships change — and so does our witness.

Who made Himself nothing

The phrase “made himself nothing” is often translated as “emptied himself,” referring to Christ’s choice to take on the limitations of humanity.  This does not mean that Jesus stopped being God; rather, He chose not to cling to the visible display of His divine glory.  He stepped fully into human weakness — hunger, fatigue, rejection, grief — so that He could truly stand in our place.  Instead of arriving as a conquering king, He came as a servant.  Instead of demanding honor, He washed feet (John 13:3–5).  Instead of distancing Himself from sinners, He ate with them (Luke 5:29–32).  Everything about His earthly life reflected downward movement — not upward self-promotion.

This kind of humility is countercultural.  Our world tells us to build platforms, protect reputations, and pursue recognition.  Jesus shows us a different way: give yourself away for the sake of love.  We imitate this when we are willing to take the lower place — when we serve in ways that may never be noticed, when we help people who cannot repay us, and when we choose compassion over convenience.  In families, churches, and workplaces, humility looks like taking responsibility instead of shifting blame and choosing faithfulness over applause.

And submitted to His Father’s will in everything

This is where Christ’s humility becomes most costly.  It was not merely that He became human; it was that He obeyed all the way to the point of suffering and death.  And not just any death — crucifixion, a form of execution associated with shame, curse, and public humiliation (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13).  Jesus’ obedience was not passive.  In Gethsemane, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  He knew the cost, and He still chose submission.  His humility was expressed through trusting the Father’s plan even when it led through pain.

This reminds us that humility often involves surrender — not just surrender of preferences, but surrender of control.  True humility says, “Lord, I trust You even when I do not understand the path.”  Many believers struggle here.  We may trust God with salvation, but we hesitate to trust Him with outcomes.  We want obedience that feels safe and predictable.  But Christ shows us that obedience sometimes leads through hardship before it leads to victory.  When we submit to God in suffering, uncertainty, or waiting, we are walking the same road our Savior walked.

And He therefore earned the highest reward in Heaven

Because of Christ’s obedience and humility, God publicly vindicated Him through resurrection and exaltation.  One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:10–11).  His humiliation was temporary; His glory is eternal.  This teaches us a vital spiritual principle: God exalts the humble.  Jesus Himself taught this repeatedly (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11).  Humility is not loss; it is the pathway to God’s blessing — in His time and in His way.

However, we must be careful here.  Jesus did not humble Himself in order to be exalted; He humbled Himself because He loved the Father and loved us.  Exaltation was God’s response to His faithful obedience, not Christ’s motivation.  The same is true for us.  We obey because we trust God, not because we are bargaining for reward.  When we choose humility, we may not see immediate results.  But Scripture assures us that God sees every act of faithful obedience.  Whether in this life or the next, God will honor those who trust Him.  Our role is not to chase recognition but to walk faithfully — trusting that God’s timing is perfect and His reward is secure.

What about me?

To imitate Christ’s humility is to walk a road that often runs opposite of the world’s values.  It is the road of service, obedience, surrender, and trust.  But it is also the road that leads to resurrection, restoration, and glory.  Paul is not asking us to admire Jesus from a distance — he is calling us to follow Him in our daily choices.  When we choose humility, we reflect the very heart of the gospel: a Savior who stepped down so that we could be lifted up.

And when the church lives this way — when believers put love above pride and service above status — the world sees not just our words, but the living example of Christ among us.