“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. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
— Philippians 2:5-11 (NLT)
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
Whew! What a statement! We are to have the same attitude as Jesus! Even though He is Jesus Christ, God the Son, He gave up His divine privileges to become a human and live a lowly human life on earth. Quite often in His ministry, He was ridiculed, rejected, called a liar, and ultimately, Jesus “died a criminal’s death on the cross” so that we might be saved. Not only that, but He voluntarily went through all this, knowing that many would still reject His sacrifice. He laid his life down for everyone, in hopes that ALL would accept Him and the gift of salvation; even those that ridiculed Him and called Him a liar. Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NKJV)
And that is the attitude we are to have… An attitude where we don’t long for entitlement, recognition, or special honor, but that we are willing to give up ALL things to fulfill what God has called us to do and glorify Him in the process. God wants us to love our enemies, share the gospel, go where He calls us to go, and do what He tells us to do. Are you willing to do that? Jesus laid His life down for you, are you willing to do the same for Him?
It’s not easy! However, I assure you, if you contemplate on what Jesus did; His sacrifice on the cross, God’s faithfulness to you despite your shortcomings, the unconditional love He has for you, and the fact that He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut 31:6, 31:8, Heb 13:5) it becomes much easier. As you walk with Jesus, and grow closer to Him, He will help you. He will not only give you the strength for each day but also a sense of peace and joy that can only come from Him, because it is peace and joy that can stay with you, even in the toughest situations. You will come to a place where you want to lay aside the things of this world and trust His plan for your life, and you will know that regardless of what happens around you, He is there for you, He will provide what you need, and His plan is best. I can promise you this; you will never regret accepting and fully surrendering to Jesus, giving it all to God, and asking Him to help you have the attitude of Christ.
Blessings,
Pastor Ann Canaday
Pastoral Care and Women’s Pastor