Reflection: Jesus. The ultimate hero who is the source of our courage
By having ‘the same mindset as Christ Jesus,’ what is that mindset that we should have? We are told that Jesus, the one through whom the universe was created, humbled himself to appear as a man. And as both God and man, he was obedient to the Father in sacrificing his life for our sins. The result of such humble obedience saw Jesus exalted to the highest place, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
So how are we to respond? Is it to adopt or just mimic the example of Christ? Is that what is singularly meant by ‘the same mindset as Christ Jesus’? Is that what our heroes of the faith have done? No, as we continue to read in Philippians 2, we see in verse 12 that we are to ‘work out our salvation with fear and trembling,’ deepening our knowledge and experience of Christ our Saviour. Each of us is to live out the ‘great commandments’ as recorded in Scripture: “… ‘The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Mark 12:29).
Yet we can neither have the mindset of Christ, nor love God and others as we should, without the empowering of God. He is the source as well as the focus of our faith, love and courage: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).
Prayer: Lord God, we praise you for “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11). Thank you that you created us, and from you we have our very being, including the courage to be faithful witnesses for you in this world.