Selflessness

In the previous article, I shared a portion from Philippians 2 from The Message version of the Bible.

I’m printing it here again in another translation.

Philippians 2 NIV (from my Bible, that is an accurate version…not the modern NIV that’s been altered):

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others.  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”  Philippians 2:3-10

Just pausing to reflect on these verses is enough in and of itself!

But let’s delve into these verses some more.

So many questions come to mind:

• What do these verses teach us about Jesus?
• What qualities exemplified his life and death?
• If I’m really a follower of Jesus, shouldn’t I want to live a life of selflessness and follow His example?
• Do I pray to be selfless?  For the Holy Spirit to work on my selfish self?
• Do I look for opportunities to point others to Jesus by serving vs. putting my needs first?
• Would those who know me best testify to the fact that I’m self-absorbed or selfless?
• Do I seek to surrender my rights as Jesus did His – or do I typically demand my own rights?
• Am I content to live a selfish life or do I want others to see Jesus in me by being selfless for His sake?

Let’s stop and ponder Jesus for a moment. 

It was my goal to read the account of the events leading up to the crucifixion and the resurrection the week before Easter.  I didn’t make it.  But I did read the passages in Matthew the week after Easter.

Even before Jesus appeared before Pilate, he was silent.  Resolute.

Then, when he came before Pilate, he just responded with, “It’s as you say” when Pilate asked are you the Son of God?

Even before He went to the cross, Jesus had self-control.  He thought of you and me — and the salvation of the world.  As He hung on the cross with thorns piercing and digging into his head, with sharp nails in both wrists and feet, struggling to breathe, He only had to speak and utter God’s name.  He only had to cry out to heaven…for help, but He didn’t. He didn’t even have to do that.  He had the power to come down off of the cross…to prove his nay-sayers, mockers and enemies wrong.  He had the power to stop his physical pain.  He had the power coursing through His body that would’ve stopped the entire nightmare.  He could’ve defended himself before Pilate…before He ever got to the cross.  He could’ve avoided being whipped, mocked, and beaten.  He was God living among us who could’ve chosen not to be crucified.  Unlike you and me, He knew exactly what was coming before it ever transpired.

But, as it reminds us so well in this passage, He didn’t grasp what was rightfully His.  He gave up His rights as GOD and all that goes along with having power and being divine so you and I could come into a right relationship with the Father. He surrendered His deity and didn’t just humble himself to fulfill the Father’s plan and to be obedient.  The PERFECT Son of God without blemish, fault or even a hint of sin, took the full weight of ALL mankind’s sin – and became a servant.  The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords served us. He didn’t just serve us…He was crushed for us.  As this verse in Isaiah 53:8, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and with by his wounds, we are healed.”  Think on that a moment.  Think about the darkness, the evil, the emptiness, the shame, guilt and humiliation you’ve experienced when you know you’ve sinned.  Multiply by that by 100,000, and I don’t think we’re even in the ballpark yet.  I think the utter debauchery, evil, darkness, emptiness and ugliness of sin had to be a weight that was horrible for Jesus. But yet, He relinquished all that He was entitled to.  He took on this unfathomable task that had been ordained by His Father; there was no other way.  He willingly obeyed and suffered for you…for me.

Not only did he endure horrible, unspeakable physical pain before He ever was nailed to the cross and then He hung for hours, gasping to breathe and suffering in excruciating ways.    

Even more than the agonizing and brutal physical pain, the emotional pain had to be far worse.  God had to totally turn His back on His own precious and perfect Son because of our filthy and despicable sin.  He was ripped apart from the Father.  I can’t imagine the hurt, the horror, the emptiness, the loneliness.  Make yourself try to fathom it, my friend.  Why?  To understand the depths of what He encountered and suffered on our behalf.

He endured.

He willingly gave up His rights.  He gave up being pure, beautiful and holy and became dirty, despised, and rejected for those hours.  He put up with cruel soldiers mocking him.  He took it from the crowd when they yelled, “He saved others, let him save himself” and laughed.  He put up with the emotional pain of realizing that the people who had been with him for years abandoned him in his time of need.  Only his beloved disciple, John, his mother, Mary, and a few other followers were present. 

I’ve known a few heroes in my life.  I’m sure you do as well. 

Men in the military who have risked their own life to save a comrade down while in a fierce battle. 

Policeman who put themselves in harm’s way….

Firefighters who run into the hot blazing flames to rescue people, animals and entire families.

EMTs, nurses, doctors who work tirelessly around the clock

All of these are heroes.  They truly sacrifice themselves and are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to protect another.

But as wonderful and incredible as these people are, none of their deeds are even in the same category as our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

Truly we can admire their heart, their courage, their willingness to sacrifice their own life to save another. 

They certainly deserve our thanks, our gratitude and our devotion and admiration.

But Jesus and His example of love, servanthood and obedience stands head and shoulders above any other selfless act we can even contemplate.  He was truly divinity…perfect, holy and God in every way.  He CHOSE to give up everything He deserved, every divine privilege.  It was the ultimate injustice.  Even as He hung on the cross and heard the taunts, put up with the mockings and ugly comments, He still prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they’re doing”.  Surely, even as He was struggling to breathe and literally being tortured to death like a common criminal, our Lord showed His true character…His divine and forgiving nature. 

It’s the ultimate picture of selflessness.  Nothing else is even in this league.

It’s the pinnacle of love, selflessness and servanthood.

How I want to have the Holy Spirit so alive and vibrant within me that my first thoughts are of others…and not myself.  Oh, to be like Jesus and willingly give up my rights to bring God glory.  Too often I demand my own way. 

You?  Praying these verses and comments make us all dwell, pray and strive to stand out in this area.