Came as a Baby

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. 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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above everyone name, so 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." Philippians 2:1-11

As I approach my first Christmas as a mom I have been reflecting on Philippians 2 and what it meant for Jesus to come as a baby. I've read this passage over and over and have even memorized it a time or two, but this year the truths in it have sunk in like no other year. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus-we all know the story. Jesus was born to Mary in a lowly manger because there was no room for him at the inn. Take some time for this to sink in, Jesus came as a baby. When I look at Roman and really think about what it means to be a baby, I can't imagine anyone choosing that. Babies are essentially helpless. They depend on their parents for everything; to move, to eat, for entertainment, and if you are Roman you even need parents to help you sleep;) When I think of the Christmas story I really see the humility Jesus portrayed. Jesus is God, perfect, needing nothing, ruler of the universe BUT He gave all that up (temporarily) and came as a helpless, humble baby. What a lesson in humility we can learn from Jesus. It makes me ask the question do I really give up my comfort, security, possessions, time, etc to put others before myself. Many times I do not. But there is hope according to this passage if we belong to Christ this mind is ours in Christ Jesus. We can have this humility but only through trusting Jesus as our Savior and allowing him to move and work in our lives. Praise God that he is the one who gives us strength to put on humility. "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." Colossians 3:12