Before a Christian can seek to live humbly, he needs to learn what that
means according to God. His "Son is the radiance of God's glory and the
exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his
powerful word" (Hebrews 1:3a).
St. Paul wrote: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out (hold onto) the word of life---in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing" (Philippians 2:14-16).
Before he penned those words to guide Christians, that apostle of Jesus wrote to Christians in the region of Greece that Jesus "...being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature (form) of a servant, being made in human likeness."
He continued: "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death---even death on a cross!"
That is who this Jesus is---the sinless Son of God who suffered, hung on a cross, and died---the sacrifice for all the sins of the world from the beginning into forever time.
---The chief teachers of faith recognized Jesus as wise and full of knowledge when they first talked with Him. He was about 12 years old.
---When He began His public teaching, Jesus did not rise to any bait thrown His way by His enemies, the RC---"Religiously Correct"---of that day.
---Jesus knew a man's thoughts, and was not surprised when His followers doubted and misunderstood Him at times.
---What strength, power, and patience Jesus showed on the cross of crucifixion: Innocent of any sin or crime, He forgave the crucifiers. He did many things from that cross, including answering the request of a thief next to Him, who asked to be remembered by Him when He entered into His kingdom.
As the scriptures say, it would be impossible to record all that Jesus said and did during His earthly life. There would not be room for the number of books needed to hold that information.
Yet, the Bible gives us enough. There is sufficient teaching from Genesis to Revelation, showing who Jesus is. It is enough to lead to true happiness.
It is enough, also, to assure that by faith Jesus Christ can be known, personally and that He is worthy of all honor and glory, power and strength.
I visited Ethiopia a few months ago with several people. We stayed in the capital, Addis Abbaba, briefly, and spent most of our time in a region called Jimma. In Jimma, coffee was first discovered. Jimma is the coffee capital of the world, one might say.
Jimma is a very poor area, yet its people are proud and seek to be self-sufficient. An Ethiopian man that helped our group is a native of Jimma. He is also a Christian, and knew that all of us in the group profess faith in Christ, too.
Yet, near the end of the visit, he said to me gently and with conviction: "Jane, Jesus is alive!" Prayers for my recovery from dehydration had just been answered by his family and the group traveling together, and this brother in Christ reminded me that prayers to God in the name of Christ never fall on deaf ears. He was encouraging me to pray, rather than just hope, that I might return to Ethiopia one day.
I do so pray, and know that God will answer according to His perfect will for me. I cannot explain why Jimma, which I never thought of visiting before, is now so much on my mind.
St. Paul wrote:
---"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
---"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
---"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others.
---"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...." (Philippians 2:1-5)
How can one have the same love and humility as Jesus Christ? How does one put aside the "love of travel" in order to hope only to be in the right place?
God may send us out or keep us where we are. Where He wants us to be is where He has appointed for us to serve others in His name. In the same attitude as Jesus, obedience to the Father in heaven is the highest and best goal.
It is not in going here and there that inexpressible, glorious joy and peace reach us. It is in union with Christ, by faith, that we enjoy peace and joy, and desire fervently that others may enjoy them, too. He who is Peace and He who is Joy is with us. Jesus is alive!
Therefore, whether we lie in a hospital room or dine on a jet plane, sleep in a hut or a palace...every place is touched by heaven when we trust Him there. This is a true and reliable saying. Everywhere, if we turn away from Him, becomes like a void.
Jesus the Christ said, "I have come to give you life, and that abundantly"! That is how we shall live in Christ and He causes us, unaware as we may be of it, to "shine like stars in the universe" as we "hold onto the word of life."
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Note: The scriptures quoted are from the New International Version of the Bible (NIV).
