Jesus Christ came to this earth and He truly humbled Himself by taking on the form of man. He, who knew no sin, took on our sin that we may have everlasting life.
Think about this; the Almighty Lord, who by the flick of His divine finger could cause the world to cease to exist, came down to this earth on a mission to offer Himself up as a sacrifice.
Reviled
He was insulted over and over again, called a blasphemer, treated as a liar, beaten, wounded, whipped, and subjected to intense torcher at the cross.
And yet, He was reviled, but He did not revile. It doesn’t get any more selfless than that. To have all the power, but offer Himself as a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).
“Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously (1 Peter 2:23).”
The Test
We are called to be like Him and to have this same level of selflessness that He had/has.
I’ve read a devotion by A. W. Tozer and he gives a test about how to determine if you are not selfless, but self-centered.
“If anybody crosses you, your hackles go up immediately because you are self-centered and self-indulgent. You are very quick to defend yourself against all so-called enemies. Just let anybody cross you, and they will know it immediately.”
My Way or the Highway
Consider this test—My way or the highway.
If things always have to be your way to be at peace, then you are self-centered. You have to be in control. It’s all about your control over people, people’s actions, and situations.
If you lose control, your world begins to crumble. You do whatever you can to manipulate people and situations in order to get them on your side, in order to gain the control back. You become ruthless in that pursuit. Consumed with scheming about your next step to maintain control.
The Ultimate Example
Jesus, the Word, Lord and Creator of all things, did not do this.
The religious leaders of His time were constantly scheming against Him.
However, when He was reviled, He did not revile. What an example, what a high bar to reach. It can only be done with the help of the Holy Spirit. Seek Him, find Him, walk in Him.
