Good morning fellow saints! It’s Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Today Paul gives us a glimpse of the leadership of Jesus. He is our Exemplar, Model, and Teacher, and here, we find something that seems to be the opposite of the world’s way of doing things. This is a Kingdom principle. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Philippians 1,2,3,4
Scripture
"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant ..." (Philippians 2:6-7)
Observation
Although He was God, he "emptied Himself." This is the great Kenosis passage, which in Greek means He "laid aside His privileges." Jesus, who was fully God, did not grasp what was His but instead voluntarily laid it aside. Because He did this, He won our salvation, and we are alive today because of His commitment.
Application
There will be times when I must also lay aside my privileges: my rights, my choice, my volition, and the things I can do. Simply because I can and because I "desire to" does not mean that I should do so. How many times may we wake up with an urge to leave a marriage, a ministry, or change something drastically in our lives? It might be our right to do so. It might make intellectual sense at the time, and we might even have the opportunity to follow through. Still, we may need to "lay aside our privilege" and stay right where we are.
I've discovered many other privileges that are better when laid aside. For example, someone with a high leadership role and the authority to mandate certain tasks could bark orders out. However, it's better to request and politely ask instead of demanding. It not only gets the task done, but kind words also increase morale. We may need to "lay aside the privilege" and take on the form of a servant. Indeed, leaders are there to serve so that their best is brought forth in those under their care. That is the sign of a good leader.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, You were willing to lay aside Your privilege of being God! Please help me to be willing to lay aside those much smaller privileges and, in the same way, watch redemption and wholeness be the result of the kenosis moments of a leader. Thank You for inaugurating the way for each of us, for what You did makes what we should do so much more worthy and understandable. Grant Your power and wisdom so I may learn to serve Your people well.
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