The Apostle Paul tells us to “let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus”.1 Then James, the brother of Jesus, tells us to humble ourselves.2 Our ego, our pride, our love of display, our desire to look the best and be the first—just like the world tells us to—are all to go, completely.
So, let me get this right—Paul wants me to lose my mind, and James wants me to lose my self! What am I to replace them with?
Love.
My mind is to be replaced with Christ’s mind and my self is to become selfless in its service to others—a natural result of humbly accepting the love-powered mind of Christ.
In love, Jesus descended and did all this for us, and what was the result? God “highly exalted Him” and gave Him “the name which is above every name”.3
That same God—the God who is love—promises us that when we humble ourselves before Him, He will lift us up. Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”4
Humble yourself in the eyes of the Lord, and let God do the lifting.
Julian Archer is the founder of Faith vs Finance—a global ministry working with Christians who seek to maintain a vibrant relationship with Jesus amidst the pressures of materialism and self-centred lifestyles.
