Penetrating. Humbling. Although those words do not usually reside side-by-side, they reveal the tone and direction of Philippians chapter two. In this chapter, Paul describes a way of life — the Christ life — that directly contradicts the one promoted by our society nowadays.
As you saunter into chapter two — whistling, hands in your pockets, content from chapter one’s truths of joy and God at work in your life — you enter, unaware, into a small chamber. As your pupils dilate and pulse increases you realize that you are no longer in the comfy, couch-laden parlor of chapter one. You have meandered into a hall that seems to be shrinking with each step. Soon, the hall seems to be constricting, suffocating. As you move toward the room at the end you have to bend at the waist, then take to your hands and knees, and then resort to a belly-crawl. You finally make it to a small opening that allows you to peek through a portal. Through the pane-less opening you find yourself looking into the past. You are looking into the upper room scene from John 13. Jesus is on His knees, towel-draped, wash basin in front of him; He is washing the feet of His disciples, and of His betrayer.
As I pecked out those words on the keyboard a lump formed in my throat. The image in my mind of Jesus on His knees, taking on the task of the lowliest servant in a household, placing His hands on the feet of His followers, to teach them, and to serve as the Model for them, moistens my eyes. I do not know why. But, it does. Every time.
With that scene of Jesus as foot-washing servant dialed into our minds. We are ready to settle into chapter two. Here is a working outline for breaking it down into manageable bits.
Being like Christ requires:
- Looking out for others – verses 1-11
- Surrendering to God’s work in us – verses 12-16
- Pouring ourselves out for Him and others – verses 17-30
There is little else to say here. Go ahead and ease into chapter two. Go unhurriedly. May I offer a suggestion? Read the entire chapter slowly, perhaps out loud. Then, read verses 1-11 slowly a few times, take some notes, ponder, let it seep in. Do the same for the second section in verses 12-16, then the same for verses 17-30. There is much to marvel at there. There is much to learn. There is much truth to take in down deep, and allow it to do its work of sparking repentance, scraping away pride and selfishness, then developing humility and a focus on others.
This chapter of Philippians cuts my feet out of from under each time that I read it. It might yours as well, unless, you breeze through it and miss what is being whispered.
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