Willingly Humble

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”—Philippians 2:5-7

Today I write from the confines of a hospital room. My wife gave birth to our first son yesterday. Momma and baby are both fine and resting. It’s been a traumatic experience for both mother and son, but also a fantastic one that I don’t think either would trade. And considering how it could have been, I think everything went extremely well. The room we are in has beautiful wood floors, with subtle lighting softly warming each corner. There are prints of Monet paintings on the wall with wallpaper border of different leaves in shades of purple, pink and green. Nurses, doctors and photographers come in throughout the day, checking and rechecking both momma and child. It’s a welcome intrusion as each nurse beams with a bubbly love, joy and compassion. The walls are a light brown, mixed with cream, fitting nicely with the oak door cabinets that house the various pieces of medical equipment that can be covered up, thus hiding them from view. There are three different sections of lights with dimmer switches that allow momma and baby to rest when possible. There is a couch for the father to sleep on, along with a glider for rocking and a television for distraction. There are curtains and blinds that keep out the light. And outside our window the snow is falling softly, creating a perfect blanket of silence. It’s a serene time of beauty, life and quiet, uniting together in a quilt of warmth, love and comfort for the soul. There is a sigh of relief, too, as the parents are no longer wondering about the exact timing of baby’s arrival. There is no longer any worrying about the various details that could come up before his birth. Now, there is a brief respite for everyone before the busy details of life rush in again.

The details of birth can be overwhelming to a parent. There are so many distractions and frustrations. The hospital designers knew that when they designed the area for labor and delivery. It was put together with the mother and child in mind, creating a smooth transition from the womb to the world. But, it’s not always been that way. Experiencing birth in a hospital surrounded by trained medical staff is difficult enough. But to be born in a stable, surrounded by animals -- that is another thing indeed.

Our passage for today communicates the length to which God went in order to reach us. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, says that Jesus "made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” The Divine Son of God stepped into time and humanity by adorning Himself in flesh. He willingly humbled Himself by coming to a teenage girl and her betrothed husband.

From a modern point of view, the details surrounding Jesus’ birth are nothing less than astounding. Even from an ancient point of view, it wasn’t the best way to usher the Son of God into the world. It’s definitely not the way most artists would have designed it. At best, there would have been candles or torches. There would have been the shifting of feet across straw, and the subtle lowing of cattle and sheep. There wouldn’t have been any sounds of medical equipment, heart monitors, or doctors and nurses conversing together in hushed tones.

It would have been awkward for Mary and Joseph, as they were betrothed but not yet united in marriage. There was probably a very scared father, unfamiliar with obstetrics and gynecology, unsure what to do and what not to do. Not to mention a confused and nervous mother, a teenager who was unsure of the changes going on in her body, unsure of what her betrothed would think and feel, seeing her body, and presumably helping her in a delivery of which he was not the father.

Yet, this is exactly the way that God brought it to pass. Awkward to man, but ordered by God, this child would come in the most lowly, awkward way possible, in order to show how much He was willing to do to reach us.

The desire for God to show His love in this way is incredible. It’s astounding, and it’s beyond our comprehension, yet that is precisely what He did. And then after doing so, He commands us to put on the same mind as He did, not insisting on our rights, not trying to make ourselves the epitome of life’s existence, rather to be lowly, taking a position of servitude. God humbled Himself in order to display His love, and so should we. As we go about our Christmas season, let’s stop insisting on our rights, on our desires, and on our image. Let’s, instead, humble ourselves before our family members and friends, willing to reach them where they are, loving them despite their pride and position. And may our submission to them show the same humility that Jesus demonstrated to all of us who believe so that they, too, may be drawn to His goodness and, by His grace, experience God’s salvation. Amen.