Philippians 2:5–11 (ESV)

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 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. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When Saint Paul says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (5).  Paul is not talking about specific attitudes toward people, events, ideas, and customs.  He is talking about what Your personal characteristics and ways of living are like as a person in general.  In short, how people see you as a complete person.  Remember how the Lord dramatically adjusted Paul’s attitude and his behavior through a personal encounter on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 8 &9).  That experience changed Paul’s life. He began to model himself after Jesus Christ.  He traveled the Roman Empire calling new Christians to do the same by saying, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”   The “mind” Paul is referring to is the mind that prompted Christ to make “Himself nothing” (7) for your salvation.  Jesus gave up so much when He did that.  Paul says Jesus did not hang on to His glory in a self-seeking way.  He did not insist on keeping his regal status and authority; Jesus willingly set aside His equality with the Father and the Spirit in glory, trading His crown for a cross. 

The Son of God took on a difficult and painful life.  The people He came to deliver from the slavery to sin, death, and the devil rejected Him.  For always doing good, Jesus received only evil in return.  He had every reason to give up on the world and return to His glory in heaven.  But He stayed.  He became “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (8).  

During the days following the first Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, a symbol of humility, Jesus’ suffered unjust, undeserved shame, degradation, pain, and condemnation. He died as one cursed.  In their proud revenge, His enemies taunted Him (cf. Luke 22-23).  

This Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, we remember the last day of Jesus’ life.  By pondering over the words and works of Jesus, we can get a sense of His attitude toward His Father, His world, and us.  His life, death, and resurrection make us God’s children, new creatures with new attitudes.  We receive new attitudes through faith in him and His power to change us.  From Him we receive the power to control ourselves and to do good to others.  We receive the power to resist the realities of death, life, angels, rulers, things present, things to come, or anything else in all of creation threatening to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (cf. Romans 8:38-39).

What a great blessing it is to know Jesus as Savior and then to grow to be like Him, imperfectly now, but perfect hereafter.  It is my prayer today that the Holy Spirit would give you the attitude of our Lord to always trust in Jesus and strive to be like Him.  That you would do as He did, and live as He lived—for the Father and for others so that one day you too will be exalted as Jesus promised: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

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