You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. Philippians 2:5-7a NLT
As we contemplate the story of Christmas and consider all that Jesus gave up when He took on human flesh and subjected Himself to the confines of a newborn baby, we are challenged by Paul in this verse to have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Wow, that’s a very tall order! Jesus saw the need, and motivated by His love for us, set aside all His divine privileges to meet our need. Our human nature is one that always looks out for ourselves, our kids, our loved ones first, but to be truly like our Savior, we must lay down our rights and put the needs of others ahead of our own. That’s the heart of Christianity; for God so loved the world that He gave. So what does this sacrificial life look like when lived out? I believe Paul gives us a good idea when he summarizes his life and ministry to the Corinthian church.
We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 NLT
This Christmas season, and throughout our lives, let’s be motivated by a desire to meet the spiritual need we see in those around us, to set aside any rights we may have, to see others find forgiveness and new life in Christ. Let’s develop a servant’s heart, working hard, faithfully serving God, and others in His name, regardless of how we are treated by the world. Let’s aspire to be like Christ, for this is the key to experiencing the joy and peace we proclaim and celebrate at Christmas.