Your Daily Devotional for July 25, 2007

 

July 25,  2007

 

 

Our Example

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

 

Philippians 2:7-8

 

 

During World War II, England needed to increase its production of coal. Winston Churchill called together labor leaders to enlist their support. At the end of his presentation he asked them to picture in their minds a parade which he knew would be held in Picadilly Circus after the war.

 

First, he said, would come the sailors who had kept the vital sea lanes open. Then would come the soldiers who had come home from Dunkirk and then gone on to defeat Rommel in Africa. Then would come the pilots who had driven the Luftwaffe from the sky.

 

Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miner's caps. Someone would cry from the crowd, "And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?" And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, "We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal."

 

When Jesus came to earth He came not as a king, but as a servant. We see in our verses today that our Saviour made Himself of no reputation. John 6:38 tells us, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." His birth deserved the grandest of entries and the loudest announcement, yet He chose to be born in a stable to two godly people. Christ showed us that we should be servants as well.

 

Our Lord also humbled himself when He came to earth. Philippians 2:8 says, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." While many people in our world are trying to get all the glory they can, God showed us that we must humble ourselves. We must empty ourselves of any pride or arrogance that we have and we must, like our Saviour, humble ourselves.

 

In John 13:4-5, we see another example of Christ humbling Himself, "He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." There was a need for the disciples' feet to be washed, and Jesus took it upon Himself to meet that need. The Almighty God of the universe stooped down to clean the dirty feet of sinful men. What an example! There is no job or task that we should not be willing to do. If our Lord humbled Himself to wash the disciples' feet, we must also humble ourselves to meet the needs of others.

 

Have you ever avoided doing something because it was not your job? Christ left us an example when He made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself to wash the disciples' feet. There is nothing that we should not do to meet the needs of another! Ask God to help you look to Him as your example. Humble yourself and seek to meet someone else's needs today.

 

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

Psalm 37-39 • Acts 26

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