Humility and Obedience: The way of the Cross, pt. 2

So Paul makes a summary statement in verse 5: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."  Like that should be an EASY task!!!

He gave up...
             ...equality with God.

So
      ...no rights or sense of entitlement!
      ...no clinging to things
      ...open hands not tight fists!
      ...no demands or conditions or expectations...
      ...just a flat out..."Here I am, I'm yours."

Made himself... nothing.


Now...hang on a second...I don't like how this is sounding!
      ...made himself nothing by taking the nature of a servant!
      ...SERVE OTHERS...no rights...no union...
      ...humble, faithful, dutiful, obedient,
      ...submissive...dirty jobs...no glory...
      ...lousy pay and working conditions and abuse and a lack of recognition...no gratitude...

But wait a minute...taking on the nature of a servant being made in human likeness...so that's humbling...for us!  He did all of this being like ME!

FOUL!  Not fair!  Jesus...you were still God (even though man!) You had an unfair advantage!!!
      ...No wait a second...what else did Paul say in describing Jesus?
      ...he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross.
      ...Okay...I take it back...you had no advantages.
      ...You had the same conditions that I do...you had to humble yourself...live like me...submit like me...eventually die like me...NO WAIT...I don't have to die like you...on a CROSS!

YOU DID THAT FOR ME!

The way of the Savior...is humility...submission...surrender...obedience...service...sacrifice...death.
All just because?  No!  BECAUSE OF ME.

You walked the way of the Savior...for ME!

You took my place...you bore my cross...you died my death!

WOW!

Humility and Obedience: The way of the Cross, pt. 1

A Tale of Two Attitudes...

Your attitude stinks!  You need an attitude check Mr.!  Watch your attitude!  Don't give me any attitude!  That boy's got some attitude!  I don't like you attitude!

He's got a great attitude considering...!  He's demonstrated a great attitude in class this year!   Performance review: Demonstrates a great attitude and a hard worker!  Always has a positive attitude...!  Never a complainer and always a great attitude!

Attitude reflects our outlook and heart.  If we have a positive outlook on...whatever... we usually demonstrate a positive attitude.  We're cooperative; don't complain; try to be helpful; try to encourage others; etc.  Our heart is in the right place - a place of humility and service which requires obedience.  We're not out to please ourselves or serve ourselves.  We're not selfish or self-absorbed.  We're focused on the good of others!

So Paul (Philippians 2:5) has the audacity to say that we should always have the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.

Never complaining...

               Always serving...

                                              Completely humble...

                                                                                             Obedient without hesitation...

Ouch!  Is that really possible?  My excuse is, "Well...Jesus is God after all!  He is perfect!  And I am most definitely not!  God doesn't expect me to be perfect after all!"

No he doesn't!  Or does he?  Scripture does say, "Be holy as I am holy!"  "Be perfect as my heavenly father is perfect!"

What?  Hang on a second!  Perfection?  Not possible this side of heaven!  HELLO!!!!

I won't be...because I am a sinner...I can be because I have a Savior!

The potential is there...unfortunately...my attitude gets in the way.

Help me Jesus to live out the reality of verse 5, "In your lives you must THINK and ACT like Christ Jesus." (NCV)

Book Review of Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge

"We live in a love story, set in the midst of war. Love is our destiny, and all hell is set against it. Really, it explains so much. We wake each morning and find that we have to fight our way back to all that is true; we have to fight off the thousands of reasons to settle for less than the life we were created for. Our bodies awaken but then our hears and souls must awaken, too, so that we might play our part in the Grand Affair. And God has made our hearts in such a way that nothing awakens us quite like some great mission which is ours alone to fulfill."

In typical Eldredge style you are drawn to this book not because of it's profundity but because of it's simplicity (which is often the most profound).  It is a practical book!  It is a helpful book!  It is a challenging book.  More than just a good read (which it is); it is an honest take on the real struggles of marriage and how to find your way to something beautiful in your marriage.

If you are honestly seeking to save your marriage or just make your marriage the best that it can be, then you need to read Love and War.

(I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)