“7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” – Philippians 2:7-8 (ESV)
I have seen a lot of movies where the king, queen, prince, or princess have left the castle for a short time to wander around and engage with the people to get a better sense of them and their needs. Where this is noble and great from a leadership perspective and makes for good entertainment, Jesus, our king, dove headlong in to the role.
Jesus was in heaven with all of the power and authority of God. He could have come down and mingled with the people, even for just a few days. But no, Jesus was born into the people to fully immerse Himself. He took on the role to fully become a part of our world and assimilate to our condition. Jesus even served to the point that He was put to death for His work with and for us.
I think of those that give to charitable organizations and the good that they are doing with their giving. I also am amazed how their giving is enhanced when they take an opportunity to truly get in the trenches with those in need. This immersion creates even more urgency and drives the service to an entirely different level for that individual.
In my life, how much have I assimilated to those around me? I should be humble to the point that I serve everyone even before serving myself. Paul writes of that in the verses that precede those above.
“3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
Paul points out that the Philippians should make sure to serve others as much as they serve themselves. Therefore I should take the same approach. I should be looking out for the needs of those around me and serve them in the capacity that God has given me. I should be immersed in work of Christ to the point that I assimilate to those in need and truly understand their needs so that I can work to meet them.
When you serve, how immersed are you in the work? What does serving others look like to you and are you fully aware of the needs? Are you willing to assimilate and understand the needs of those you serve?
Trevor's Thoughts 