Philippians 2:1-18
Being Like Jesus
1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 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.
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
Jesus walked and taught quietly amid the noise and the haste of the world, and always remembered that peace was being with His Father...He walked is a very quiet way amidst the world's noise seeking the lost who reached out to Him...He said peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you...Not as the world gives do I give to you...So knowing this do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid...He taught us to love our enemies, and to always love neighbor and God...
He spoke the Truth quietly and clearly; and listened and helped others, even to those that society had left out and behind...He heard their stories...As He testified to the truth, He is a beacon in the night, because His words are a balm to soothe the wounded heart...He listened, helped, and reached out to the lost, like a Good Shepherd tending His flock...
By becoming human He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of man...He willingly relinquished His Divine attributes to become human...And so the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...For humanity's sake He took human form to live among us and teach us and to show how we can live in harmony and live peacefully together, if we can learn to live like Him...And as He emptied Himself, God had made a Human showing us our Greatest Potential, who came in the nature of a Servant, who was the very Nature of God...He lived a life full of Grace and Truth...As the Word became flesh, to dwell here on Earth, we saw the Shiniest of Stars from a heavenly place...
He did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing...And we saw that He was humble in His miracles and achievements and never compared Himself to others, because He was always the one wanting to help His neighbor...He is the Greatest to live and always showed His LOVE for His fellow man...He was not cynical about forgiving and somehow He commonly and naturally travelled around to forgive all who sinned...
He was always at peace with God, whatever His situation...And told us not to worry because God hears us and knows us and no one can defeat the beauty of the Creation of the lilies of the fields...
Let us be blameless and pure and more like Him...Let us set a life's goal to imitate Him, so we can be children of God and can shine among the stars in the sky...We can rejoice in His Goodness and His Grace...
Let us learn to love, even our enemies, seek peace, strive for harmony with all people...Let is live in kindness, forgive and help others, and follow Him, our Savior and our Friend...And as we read about Him, it is still a mystery, but life makes so much more sense by His coming and dwelling on earth and walking among us...His humbleness was and has never been surpassed...He walked with the most humble of Grace to show us how and what we should do...He followed His Father's Will and never gave up on Him, even as He went to the cross to finish and start the New Plan of His Father...To the Glory of the Father, we should bow our knee to Him...
He helps us better see His Father and helps unfold some of the mysteries we have about life...His miracles, His teachings, and His obedient death on the cross earned Him a reputation as the Son of God and the Savior of the world...