Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
 |
| Sometimes the distance isn't large but it is difficult to cross. |
1 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, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As we continue through Philippians we come to some of my favourite verses. I always think about this passage around Christmas time as I did when I wrote this blog:
http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/2007/12/christs-humility-pt2.html
Paul really pulls out all the stops in Philippians. He leaves no room for excuses. You think your situation is tough? He starts off by emphasizing that he is in prison! You think you can’t follow God and put others needs first? You think “that person” is too hard to reconcile with or put first? He goes to Jesus on the cross!
Christ is our example. There is a pastoral care book by Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison called “Compassion”. I highly recommend this book. It draws 3 truths about how Christ is compassionate toward us.
Firstly, God came to be with us. You can not be compassionate and keep your distance (Geographical distance may still exist but it does make it hard if not impossible. This may be an argument of the difference between empathy and compassion. For with compassion emotional distance can not remain. ) Compassion means literally to “suffer” (Latin/passion) “with” (Latin/cum). Jesus came and dwelt among us. There was no barrier He was not willing to cross to enter into our lives. Often when people find out that I work with persons with exceptional needs they will say things like “I could never do that” or “you must be a patient/special person”. Many people have barriers in their mind that think they would stop them from serving one kind of person or another. While it true that, as Christians we may be called to different kinds of ministry, yet we are all called. I am not special, sometimes serving people is hard. I had more than a few moments as a support worker in peoples homes, and since supporting in various ways, that have made me think “I never pictured myself here/doing this” or sarcastically “I am really putting my higher education to work here”. Imagine how many times Jesus could have thought that while he was on Earth. HE didn’t hold onto equality with God. He washed the disciples’ feet, and I think I am too good for some activities?
That brings us to the second thing. God served. Jesus took a humble position. Paul asks that we “consider others better than ourselves”. This is a hard thing to do but once again is our example that Christ washed the disciples’ feet. He was better than them but He served. Compassion has to be about the other. If we are focused on ourselves we can not feel what they feel.
Lastly Nouwen et. al. point out that Christ was obedient. As Philippians points out “obedient to death-- even death on a cross! “ Jesus wrestled with not wanting to go the cross. In Gethsemane we see Him begging that there be another way. Yet He obeys and thank God that He does.
There are 3 questions that I have to ask myself and that I encourage you to ask of yourself.
1. What barrier am I letting stand in the way? (Who can I not come along side? Note: this may involve lowering to another’ place to listen to them.)
2. Who is God calling me to serve? Jesus was willing, am I?
3. Where is obedience required? Is there something God is calling me to do that I really don’t want to do?
For those of you who observe the tradition of Lent I would also like to encourage you and wish you a meaning full Lenten season. For past posts on Lent and Ash Wednesday go here: http://chdevotions.blogspot.com/search/label/Lent
Mark Wallace
0 comments:
Post a Comment