The Humble Love of Christmas
As we celebrate Christmas, it is worth remembering what Philippians 2 tells us about Jesus and the incarnation:
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (NIV)
God became a baby.
The creator and ruler of the universe became a needy and vulnerable human being.
Augustine puts it this way:
“Man's maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother's breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die.”
Rather than grasping for power, for the authority over all that was and is rightly his, Jesus became a servant of all. He became susceptible as a human to hunger, thirst, pain, rejection, and other kinds of vulnerability. He died for all, so that all would live. There is no clearer picture of humble love.
We can learn from him how to live in humble love, too. In our homes. In our churches. At work. In the community. Humble love can be our regular way of living. But we can only do it with his help, by surrendering to him, learning from him, and pursuing life together with others who are seeking to follow him. As we celebrate his birth, let’s set our hearts once again on being followers of his Way.
Adoration of the Magi, Rembrandt