In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself…Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
—Philippians 2:3, 5-8
In this passage, we have a summary of all the most precious truths of the blessed Son of God. First, there is His majestic divinity: “in the form of God”; “equal with God.” Then comes the mystery of His incarnation in that word of deep meaning: “[He] made Himself of no reputation.” The Atonement follows with the humiliation, obedience, suffering, and death: “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” And all is crowned by His glorious exaltation: “God also has highly exalted Him” (verse 9 nkjv).Christ as God, Christ becoming man, Christ as Man in humiliation working out our redemption, and Christ in glory as Lord of all: such are the treasures of wisdom this passage contains.
We must be like Christ in His self-emptying and self-humiliation. The first great act of self-denial, in which, as God, He emptied Himself of His divine glory and laid it aside, was followed by the humbling of Himself as Man in His death on the cross. And in this twofold humiliation, scripture very simply says that we must be like Christ.
The blessedness of a Christlike humility is unspeakable. It is of great worth in the sight of God. As Scripture states, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). In the spiritual life, it is the source of rest and joy. To the humble all God does is right and good. Humility is always ready to praise God for the least of His mercies. Humility does not find it difficult to trust. It submits unconditionally to all that God says.
Oh, what a glorious calling for the followers of Christ! To be sent into the world by God to prove that there is nothing more divine than self-humiliation. The humble man glorifies God, leads others to glorify Him, and will at last be glorified with Him. Who would not want to be humble like Jesus?