What a question to ask, right?  Who do you think you are?  Who do I think I am?  Notice we are not asking what others think we are, for this is personal and the answer determines the state of our growth in the knowledge of who Jesus is in us.  Paul clearly helps us understand how to think of ourselves…

PHILIPPIANS—PURE JOY

Philippians 2:1-11, The Message

He Took on the Status of a Slave

^1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

^5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

^9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

WHAT DO WE THINK OF OURSELVES, NOW?

Here’s what we learn from thinking of ourselves like Jesus thought of Himself:

We are equal but our equality does not guide us, putting others first is our mantra.

Being humble is thinking like Christ who laid down his deity and washed dirty feet of his friends and enemies then ultimately laid down his life for ours.  “He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.”  Put others first without thinking about getting anything back in return.  In this world, that alone is humbling.

God honors His selfless, obedient Son, the One and Only who died for our sins.  Someday EVERY knee will bow to Him.  How about now?

What do you think?  What we think we reflect in our daily behaviors.  It matters what God thinks.  God sees our hearts.  He gave us the freedom to choose how to think, what to think about ourselves, with how to behave.  Choose wisely.

Lord,

Every time I read these words; I praise you with grateful tears of emotion for what you have done for each of us.  I am also humbled by how far I need to grow still in my walk with you in order to think more like you think.  Demanding my own way is not the way to think and not the way to behave.  What I think of myself? I want more of you working in me.  May your will be done in every detail of my life today and always.  For right now, I will concentrate on just today.  I’m listening, Lord. 

In Jesus Name, Amen