Biosophilia

Day & Night (Psalm 1)

TOPIC: The way up is down . . .

The way up is down. The way down is up. Contradiction, paradox, or simple truth? In Luke 14 at the conclusion of a parable about taking the place of honor Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will exalted.” Jesus came to the same conclusion in Luke 18 after telling the story of two men who prayed in the temple: “I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” In the second parable the first man thanked God that he was not an extortioner, unjust, or an adulterer…that he tithed and that he fasted twice a week. Jesus did not say that it was not true! What was wrong? He also thanked God that “he was not like other men,” or even “like this tax collector.” He exalted himself. The other man was bad and he admitted it. Jesus did not say that that was not true either. What was right? He humbled himself. Humility is apparently a character thought and acted independent of, and senior to, any other merit of right or wrong. The first man could have humbled himself and the second man could have exalted himself.

We have a supreme example of self-exaltation in the Bible. It was Satan himself, and it was his way down.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning. . . . For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.’ (Isaiah 14:12, 13)

Have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. . . . (Philippians 2:6-9)

Christ, in glory with the Father, did not insist that His rightful place in Heaven was more important than humbling Himself. It wasn’t! When He was an innocent man on earth He did not “protest His innocence;” He humbled Himself still further and died for our sins. He made Himself of no reputation. Humbling Himself was more important to Him than His equality with God, His reputation, His innocence. The same paragraph in Philippians says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” If we allow this mind to be in us then our “rightful place,” our “Reputation,” and our “innocence” is not as important as humbling ourselves. How can this be? Jesus said in Matthew 11: 28-30, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.”

In the Lord Jesus Christ,
Jim Wilson

Community Christian Ministries
516 S. Main
Moscow, ID 83843
www.ccmbooks.org

(Reprinted by permission.)

Posted by Courtney Huntington at July 19, 2005 2:55 PM