Me First!

"And being found in human form,

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of the Father."

Philippians 2:8-11 ESV

We all know how to say "Me First!" As children, all of us often did and displayed the internal nature of every human being. However, since we are new creatures in Christ, we have a new way of thinking and behaving available. This "new way" is not automatic. Oh how we (on the surface) wish it were. However, there is great, great purpose for us making the journey of choice to receive and to live in His ways. 

In Christ, we have no need to be a "me first" person. In fact, we have a deep need to make certain we are not. In the natural realm, if we do not promote ourselves, it does not get done. However, there is a spiritual law that supersedes that law. In fact, it is a law and a principle in the Spirit that is the opposite. In the Kingdom of God, when we promote ourselves in any way, it is only a guarantee that we will be brought low and humbled. When we humble ourselves before Him and others, it guarantees He will exalt us.

Proverbs 75:6-7 reads: 

"For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment putting down one and lifting up another."

And then in Matthew 23:12 

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

So we see that once again our passage in Philippians has within it the principle of becoming like Him. As we have received Him, the image of our new creation is being worked within us to enable and to empower us to walk under His hand in the true expression of His love.

Yes, Lord, have your way in us and thank you for the enabling power of your Spirit to express within us your nature as our own. Awesome!