The Mind That Emptied Itself
Having the Mind of Christ — Devotion 1 of 10
Philippians 2:5-8 — “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Opening Reflection
There is a mind that most of us will never fully comprehend, because none of us has ever stood where Christ stood. He existed in the very form of God, equal with the Father in glory, honor, and majesty from before time began. Yet Paul tells us that He did not treat that equality as something to exploit for His own advantage. He emptied Himself.
This is the mind Paul asks us to have - not to admire from a distance, not simply to believe as doctrine, but to have. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” The humility of the incarnation is not only a truth to marvel at - it is a pattern meant to shape how we think about ourselves, our rights, and our place among others.
Over the next ten devotions, we will trace this mind of Christ from its deepest humility to its everyday expression - through service, renewal, Spirit-directed thinking, relationships, and suffering. Along the way we will hold together two truths: in Christ we have been given what we could never produce on our own, and day by day we are still learning to think according to what He has given us. It begins here, with a Savior who willingly descended before He was exalted.
Taking a Devotional View
The Greek verb behind “emptied” does not mean Christ ceased to be God or surrendered His divine nature. Paul immediately explains the emptying: He did so “by taking the form of a servant” and entering fully into human likeness. The movement is not from deity to something less than deity, but from the glory and rightful status of the Son into the astonishing humility of true servanthood. He remained who He eternally was while taking upon Himself what He had not been before - our humanity and the servant’s place.
Notice the direction of the movement in verses 6-8: from equality with God, to the form of a servant, to human likeness, to obedience, to death, to the specific horror of a cross. Every step downward was voluntary. No one took this from Him. This is what makes His humility so unlike ours - our humility is usually forced by circumstance; His was chosen from strength.
Key Thoughts & Takeaways
Key Thoughts
- Christ’s equality with God was not something He grasped or clung to (Philippians 2:6).
- His self-emptying did not diminish His deity; it was expressed by taking the form of a servant and entering human likeness (Philippians 2:7).
- The lowest point - death on a cross - was reached by deliberate obedience, not accident (Philippians 2:8).
- Paul commands believers to have this same mind, not merely to admire it (Philippians 2:5).
Ask Yourself
- What privileges or rights do I find hardest to set aside for the sake of others?
- Where in my life do I grasp at status or recognition rather than release it?
- How does knowing Christ’s humility was chosen, not forced, change how I see my own?
- What would it look like this week to imitate one specific step of His downward path?
Lord Jesus, You had everything and let go of none of it out of necessity, only love. Forgive me for grasping at what You willingly released. Begin in me the same mind that was in You - humble, willing, and unafraid to descend for the sake of others. In Your name, amen.