The Humility of God

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:6-7).

Many people don’t think about God having a personality. Perhaps we fall into this thinking because we can’t see Him, but our perception of Him is often lacking. Maybe He is a personal God, and He is involved in our lives, but does He have much of a personality? Is He just a dry being who commands the heavens and earth?
           
Some people might have a difficult time understanding the personality of God because we think of Him as more distant than Jesus. God the Father is in heaven away from all the action while Jesus was down here in the midst of human life. That’s why in our past few devotions, we broke down the concept of the Trinity. The three-in-one God is one in the same. Therefore, if you want to know the personality of God, look at Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God.
           
God could have chosen to come to earth in the form of anything. He could have come as a songbird if He wanted to, or an emperor, or a stranger from a faraway land. He could have come to earth as a wise old man or as a fully-grown man.
           
But He came to earth in the humblest state possible. He came as a baby. He entered into this earth the same way each of us entered the earth. He came not as an animal and not as a grown man because that would’ve defeated His purpose of being just as we are. God grew up here. He was a baby, and a toddler, and a teenager, and a grown man.
           
Additionally, He was raised as a carpenter’s son. God was raised in a humble home—one that didn’t have much money. He could have come to any family He desired, but as we see the personality of God begin to take shape; we see that He is humble. He deserved more than what He chose, but just think of the beauty of His decision. The God of the universe chose to be a carpenter’s son. The Creator of the universe, who made man with His own hands, chose for His earthly father a man who works with his hands.
           
God is in the details.
           
And even though He could have made Himself known as King of the earth, He made Himself known as a servant. Matthew reminds us that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (20:28). He did not consider His equality with the Father to be something He should take advantage of. Instead, He emptied Himself, took on the form of man, and became a servant, pouring out His life for all.
           
God has a personality. We don’t have to see Him to know He didn’t live for Himself while He lived on earth. Our God is humble; He’s empathetic; He’s sentimental. The Lord has layers.