Sometimes I say to God, “Heavenly Father, show yourself to me. Help me to understand your character so that I may be more like you.” Do you know that if you ask God to do that, He will answer you quickly, and with clarity?

While reading Philippians 2, I was impressed with what God began to show me. Philippians 2:3 talks about how we are not to do anything out of conceit or arrogance. Instead we are to regard others as better than us when we are talking to them. What affect does this have? Verse 4 in the Amplified Bible answers that question by saying:

We need to stop thinking about ourselves, and we need to start thinking about the needs of the people around us! A big part of our society in America has turned to the “every many for himself” and “my needs come first” mentality, and who is there to help us when we fall?

Philippians 2:5 begins the reference to having the humble mind that Jesus had, Who had come to the earth as God in human form. Being God on earth, He did not walk around saying, “I’m God, and I’m powerful so you better get out of my way!” No, instead He demonstrated humility by stripping Himself of that dignity. He became like a servant, and through obedience, He went to the cross to die. He led a perfect example of how we are to live our lives for Him. He never asks any of us to do something that He hasn’t already done Himself!

In verse 12 we are instructed to, “work out our salvation”. The goal is to live a life that resembles the life of Jesus Christ. We don’t just say a prayer, and go on living the way we always have. When God is truly in a person, you will see changes in that person. That doesn’t mean we become perfect, but by the power of God (verse 13), we will supernaturally want to attempt perfection throughout our entire life, until we die!

Philippians 2:14 says,

By being obedient to this command we can remain innocent to the world. Imagine Jesus walking around saying, “My feet hurt from walking so much. Everywhere I go, people follow me. I have no privacy. Now I have to die on a cross. I’m always suffering. My whole life is just one big suffering party. I’ll be glad when it’s over!” It’s ridiculous to even think of Him like that, isn’t it? Yet, so many Christians are living their lives like this, and wondering why people dislike Christians. We aren’t setting the example that we are called to set, and because of that the world finds fault in us!

Do you know how foolish it looks to people when one minute you are telling them, “all things are possible with Christ” and the next minute, “I don’t know what I’m going to do, it looks hopeless.” It ruins your testimony, and more importantly it makes our God look weak!

There are many characteristics of God, and Philippians chapter two only reveals a few. Humility, humbleness, and optimism are some pretty important things to consider when looking at ourselves in the mirror. Are we really seeing the reflection of Christ, or do we need to surrender ourselves a little more to the transforming power of God?