We can never fully understand what it was like for Jesus to leave the glory and perfection of heaven to be born as an infant in a small cave in Bethlehem. Had Jesus experienced physical pain before his birth? Were the sounds and smells of earth completely different from those in heaven? How did Jesus step from his throne in heaven to enter into the struggles of earth?

Scripture says, “Jesus emptied himself” not counting “equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Jesus left everything he was in heaven behind, in order to come to earth and serve as our Savior. He took on the likeness of men, with all our frailties, so that one day we could leave this earth as a citizen of heaven.

Paul told the Philippian church, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Paul had just told them, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). We don’t need to wonder what it means to live as a servant of God. Jesus modeled what it means when he, though he was God, stepped into our lives to serve as our Savior. The Creator chose to serve those he created.

Jesus served his family as a carpenter. Jesus humbled himself to be baptized. Jesus lived as an itinerant Rabbi, modeling what it means to help others know God. Finally, Jesus knelt to wash the feet of men. Then he waited in the garden for the soldiers to arrive. Finally, he submitted himself to the darkest behaviors of men so that he could carry a cross and die for them.

Paul would say, “the next time you esteem yourself too highly, have this in mind.” The next time you hesitate to serve, remember the life Jesus modeled for you. Jesus became “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:8–9).

We cannot understand what it was like for Jesus to leave the glory of heaven, but we can know Jesus wanted us to share the glory of heaven with him. 

We are called to serve others like Jesus served us so that “every tongue” will confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). 

Jesus is the model for our own faith, and the pathway for our eternal relationship with God. May we model the servant heart of Jesus to others.