Christmas is Stepping Down

I received the following devotional, and thought it represents so well the reason that Jesus left His heavenly home and throne.

Jesus manifested His greatness by taking steps down. While the rest of the world is intent on climbing up...up the corporate ladder, up to a better neighborhood...up to higher education...higher office-Jesus stepped down, for us.

He was God, equal with God, and He deliberately emptied Himself and came to earth in the form of a humble servant. Jesus stepped down from glory and equality with almighty God, to the cruel Roman cross, where He hung for our sins before an angry, jeering mob, despised and rejected by mankind.

That's a big step down, from the highest height, to the lowest, most humiliating death known to the world at that time, death upon the cross. It's hard to step down. To give up something you've worked hard to attain. Or to volunteer for a job that seems beneath your level of education or competence.

But if you feel that tug of the Holy Spirit, calling you to let it go, to humble yourself, let go of the ego or the need to be in charge, and step down to serve others, remember what Jesus did for us. And through obedience, you will also know great joy.

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Phil. 2:8

Susan