Sunday, September 27, 2026
Philippians 2:1-13
Christ's Example of Humility
2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Ryan Holiday’s book Ego is the Enemy identifies that the major roadblock to our flourishing is our ego which functions as a stumbling block in three main areas of life.
· Ego is the enemy when we Aspire to accomplish something new because it leads us to more talking than it does action. Rather than becoming a student, it encourages us to become a know-it-all incapable of learning.
· Ego is the enemy when we achieve our goals as we create a false narrative of our own importance and genius. It alienates us from our teams and the people we owe our gratitude to.
· Ego is the enemy in Failure because it tends to magnify the problem so that it swallows us up. We are unable to cope with the reality that we are flawed human beings (gasp!).
Holiday’s solution to the problem is that we need to constantly undercut our ego so that it doesn’t shortcut our personal growth. Paul, as he is writing to a community of people with inflated egos, suggests a similar solution in that he encourages the Jesus community to look at Jesus example for the way forward.
Jesus, though he had all the access to power and authority he could ever want, chose instead to empty himself and to become a servant. In doing so, he gave his life so that we all might have life eternal with him, right here and right now. Jesus knew how to handle his ego.
As his followers who want to be more like him, it stands to reason that we must also practice this kenotic (self-emptying) way of subverting our ego so that we, too, might connect and love people in the way that Jesus does.
What would happen if in your aspirations, success, and failures you let go of your need for importance and instead held onto the reality that you are beloved? Would that make more room for connection with yourself and others?
– Pr. Jason
Jesus, thank you for giving up your life on my behalf. You didn’t have to. Help me to surrender so that I can be the image of your love in the world today. Amen.
