Devotion - Wednesday, October 4

The Sunday cycle of readings took us to Philippians 2 this past week.  I wrote about these verses on Monday.  This morning, the Daily cycle took me to the same section - so I am going to say more.

This is the verse over which I prayed this morning: 

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 

who, though he was in the form of God,

   did not regard equality with God

   as something to be exploited, 

but emptied himself,

   taking the form of a slave.

Paul points out that Christ Jesus is "in the form of God."  But, that equality with God was not "something to be exploited."

We have grown in our ability to speak of privilege.  We have come to understand that there are ways in which some of us are already ahead.  I can do nothing to change my skin color, my geographic location, my sexual orientation......  But these things allow me advantages in the particular culture in which I live.  Will I exploit those?

The model of Christ Jesus is to be a servant, a slave.  To be one who empties himself for the sake of those larger commitments.  He would set aside his privilege in order to take on human form, to serve others, and finally to die.

How will each of you respond to the enormous advantages you have?