The Heart of Christmas: Unveiling Jesus’s Humility
As I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, I am drawn to the profound humility of Jesus. This season, I am marveling at the selflessness of our Savior and seeking to emulate His example.
The Paradox of Humility
There are two significant challenges in exploring Jesus’s humility. Firstly, as Tim Keller notes, “Humility is so shy. If you begin talking about it, it leaves.” It seems that the very act of discussing humility can be self-defeating. Secondly, Jesus’s humility is fundamentally different from ours. While our humility stems from our finite, fallible, and sinful nature, Jesus, as the eternal Son of God, was not bound by these limitations.
The Humility of Jesus
Philippians 2:6-8 beautifully captures the essence of Jesus’s humility: “Though he was in the form of God, [he] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus’s humility was not a result of any defect or weakness, but rather a conscious decision to put Himself in a lowly, servant role for the benefit of others.
A Heart of Fullness and Servanthood
Jesus’s humility was characterized by a sense of fullness and perfection, which enabled Him to overflow in serving others. As Mark 10:45 states, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus’s voluntary self-lowering made it possible for us to experience rest and relief from our burdens. His humility was not a sense of defect, but a sense of fullness put at the disposal of others for their good.
Impulses to Humility
As we reflect on Jesus’s humility, we are reminded of our own finiteness, fallibility, and sinfulness, which should humble us. Moreover, we are grateful for the free and undeserved grace that underlies all our blessings. The model of self-denying, sacrificial servanthood that Jesus exemplified should inspire us to follow in His footsteps.
The Call to Humility
As we celebrate Christmas, let us pray that the “shy virtue” of humility would peek out from its quiet place and grant us the garments of lowliness. May we clothe ourselves with humility towards one another, remembering that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Leave a Reply