Comedian Sophie Tucker said, “I’ve been rich, and I’ve been poor. Believe me, rich is better.” Here’s my update: I’ve been strong and I’ve been weak. I like strong better. Give me power–the ability to make things happen. That’s what I want.
But here’s the catch: Jesus Christ, God himself, was all-powerful, but he set that aside to attend to my needs and yours. The apostle Paul famously writes about this when he includes perhaps the oldest hymn we have on record. It’s found in Philippians chapter 2. There we read:
Philippians 2:5-11
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!
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 acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Think about this: Jesus Christ, the creator of all things everywhere, submitted to Mary and Joseph; he received religious instruction from people who knew infinitely less than he did; he accepted all kinds of limitations. I hate limitations. Jesus accepted limitations on my behalf.
Pressing on,
Mike