The Lowest Place

Philippians 2:1-11 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God

something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death-

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

As I meditated on this passage, my attention was caught by the phrase "having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." I began to ask myself, who am I supposed to be one in spirit and purpose with? As I prayed, I understood that this verse is a call and an invitation from God to be one in spirit and purpose with him. It is a call to be more intimate by partnering with him in his work of encouraging and loving people.I want more than anything to have more and more knowledge of Him. I want to know his heart and to be in sync with him and what he's doing, and I think this passage gives some great insight about what God is like and how to be like him. In these verses Paul asks that if we recieve encouragement, love, or compassion from Christ that we be like-minded and give the same to others. He goes on to say to not do anything out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

But as I think about this, I begin to realize that this is not the kind of life I live most of the time. How often do I do or say things out of a selfish or proud spirit? Most of the time, I'm thinking about how I can make a situation benefit me, or how a situation is going to fit into my plan. Even when I'm with my friends, I want to recieve encouragement and love from