The Humilty of Christ

As I (Brian) just finished CJ Mahaney's book Humility, something is very clear: I have an abundance of pride and very little humility. The fact is, none of us are really humble, and if we say we are...well there you have it. Humility is not something we are born with as fallen creatures. As sinners we naturally put ourselves above God and others. That's why it is striking to read and ponder what Jesus did for us. Think about it, the King of heaven, the One who spoke the universe into existence by the word of His power, humbled himself and came to earth as a man.

Maybe we've grown too familiar with this story. So much so that it has little affect on us. Sometimes we like to downplay Jesus' humanity and focus on His divinity. But He was 100% man as much as He we was 100% God. Maybe we need to meditate on God's word to see Christ's humble humanity.

Philipians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

If the sinless Son of God made himself nothing, then what right do we, wicked and depraved sinners, have to make much of ourselves. When we get angry at God for trials, when we get anxious about circumstances, when we get puffed up in our thinking we are showing our pride and arrogance. We've forgotten that we are alive because of grace! Everything we have that is good is because of grace which was purchased by our Savior at the cross. Paul told the puffed-up Corinthians "what do you have that you did not receive?" Answer: NOTHING!

Martin Lloyd-Jones said, "There is only one thing I know that crushes me to the ground and humiliates me to the dust, and that is to look at the Son of God, and especially contemplate the cross."

To cultivate humility, CJ Mahaney suggests that we always "reflect on the wonder of the cross of Christ."

The hymn writer reminds us:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

Brian