"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"
Philippians 2:5-9
I like the ideas in these verses. One of them is the idea of aspiring to something better, and that our aspirations don't have to diminish others. Christ could see that trying to be like God didn't take anything away from God, but instead brought him fulfillment. As our Father, God wants us to grow up to be like him. It doesn't make him any less. :)
Another idea here is that aspiring to great heights doesn't mean pride and boasting and just being *that* good in order to get there. It means humility, recognizing that we need to learn from others (especially God), obey rules and social guidelines in order to develop relationships (especially with God). Part of becoming more than we are involves learning about others and how we can assist and help them.
These verses instruct us to think the way that Christ thought ("let this mind be in you..."), and so these ideas matter to us. The idea that we can walk as Christ did, follow his example, and become more and more like God is not a fable or an impossibility. It's the reality of life, and God is here telling us that it is something that we should aspire to... to someday grow up and be like our Father. :) Aim high. And then realize that aiming high doesn't mean thinking or acting like we're better than anyone else. Aiming that high means being realistic about how we're going to get there. We need help from others, and we need help from God... and we need to provide assistance to others as well. This isn't something that any of us can do alone.
As we work to understand, love, and follow God, we'll all be blessed. Blessed with the natural consequences of seeking God, as well as individual strength and blessings that we need on the journey. As we humble ourselves and assist others, we'l develop friendships and learn more about how everything works. We'll find out more about God by interacting with his creations. Today, let's think like Christ, and let's remember that humility and love will help us climb higher and learn more.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:"
Philippians 2:5-9
I like the ideas in these verses. One of them is the idea of aspiring to something better, and that our aspirations don't have to diminish others. Christ could see that trying to be like God didn't take anything away from God, but instead brought him fulfillment. As our Father, God wants us to grow up to be like him. It doesn't make him any less. :)
Another idea here is that aspiring to great heights doesn't mean pride and boasting and just being *that* good in order to get there. It means humility, recognizing that we need to learn from others (especially God), obey rules and social guidelines in order to develop relationships (especially with God). Part of becoming more than we are involves learning about others and how we can assist and help them.
These verses instruct us to think the way that Christ thought ("let this mind be in you..."), and so these ideas matter to us. The idea that we can walk as Christ did, follow his example, and become more and more like God is not a fable or an impossibility. It's the reality of life, and God is here telling us that it is something that we should aspire to... to someday grow up and be like our Father. :) Aim high. And then realize that aiming high doesn't mean thinking or acting like we're better than anyone else. Aiming that high means being realistic about how we're going to get there. We need help from others, and we need help from God... and we need to provide assistance to others as well. This isn't something that any of us can do alone.
As we work to understand, love, and follow God, we'll all be blessed. Blessed with the natural consequences of seeking God, as well as individual strength and blessings that we need on the journey. As we humble ourselves and assist others, we'l develop friendships and learn more about how everything works. We'll find out more about God by interacting with his creations. Today, let's think like Christ, and let's remember that humility and love will help us climb higher and learn more.
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