⁵ For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. ⁶ It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man, that you care for him?
⁷ You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor,
⁸ putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹ But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:5-9

Humility is a word most of us don’t enjoy. Sure, we understand that no one likes an arrogant, prideful person, but to be truly humble is almost more uncomfortable. In humility, we let others “win.” In humility, we set our wants and desires aside, realizing that we may never get what we wanted. In humility, we allow others to have the glory we may have wanted for ourselves. In humility, we stay quiet when we have something to say that may draw attention to us. In humility, we give up what may have made us comfortable, and seek out the comfort of others instead. In humility, we lay down our need to control everything. In humility we subjugate ourselves in order that others might be lifted up. In humility, we serve others whom society might turn away from. And as a point of honor in humility, we do not mention our humble acts, lest we negate them all. When people seek out examples of humility, we point them to someone else. 

Who are we that God is mindful of us? 

Truly, who are we? We are dreadful sinners, living in rebellion against God, the antithesis of humble, and proud of our sin. What good do we do? Scripture says there are none who are righteous, no not one. We are lost in that prideful sin that seeks self and satisfaction, and our motivations stink of the death that has already overcome us. Who are we that God is mindful of us? Our “righteousness” is the stuff of filth. Our good deeds are polluted, every one, by our misdeeds, and no matter how much we try to polish them up to make them pretty, they are so thoroughly soiled, that we cannot see the stain anymore. Who are we that God is mindful of us? Spiritually dead, morally misled, apathetic to life and light, we wander in darkness, never knowing we could never see, but convinced that we see all things clearly. We are dead and delusional, tragically depraved, and oblivious to our own condition. Who are we that God is mindful of us? 

But God turned His eyes toward us, seeing our abject humiliation before His own righteousness, and determined within Himself to redeem to Himself a people as a sign of His sovereignty, and as a marker of His glory. And so the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, made Himself a little lower than the angels, by taking on our flesh, all the while remaining unsoiled by sin. And in His righteous humility, He lived in perfection among us. He experienced temptation, yet was without sin. He saw our pain, and felt it in His own body. He chose to be the perfect sacrifice that would pay for our rebellions, and to redeem us from the death and filth that reigned in our hearts. And so, in His humility, we see the very hand of God at work, patiently giving of Himself, so that we might live, and glorify Him. 

But it isn’t enough that He humbled Himself. We must also see that in this redemptive work, He was also liberating us, and the creation that He willed into existence,  into freedom from this sin that had so saturated us. What the enemy meant for evil, and for his vile victory, Jesus Christ turned into His own triumph. All things will be subjected to Him, and as the author says, we may not see it yet, but that does not change the fact that Jesus Christ has already purchased it, and that He is going to redeem all to Himself whom the Father has chosen, and whose hearts the Holy Spirit will quicken to new life. 

We ought to be encouraged in His humility, as it is a better, pure humility, unlike our own which is always tainted by sin, and which seeks out some form of recognition, desiring to be noticed, even as we seem to wave it off. His humility is real and genuine. Ours is still saturated with self-interest. His humility was intentional. Ours is due to our circumstances. He will be crowned with glory and honor, because it is due Him, and because He purchased it by the shedding of His blood. In Him we have the example our own hearts should follow, and the light which brings life to our eyes, and redemption to our souls. 

Prayer & Examine

Father, may I see my need as You see it. May my sin not escape Your notice or mine, especially as I encounter Your work in my life. May I see it for the repulsive filth that it truly is, and be ever reliant on Your work, Jesus, that cleanses me from it all.

(Take a moment and examine your heart before the LORD, confessing your sin.)

Even as You descended into my distress, Jesus, You were not overcome by it. So in You, I may overcome all things that lead to death, and instead find my heart resurrected with Yours to a new life, and into true humility before Your sovereign rule. You truly save the truly lost. You are the Founder and Author of our salvation, and I would do well not to forget that today.

(Praise God for His cleansing work through the blood of Christ.)

May Your example of humility overcome me today, and may my heart be truly subject to You, so that others might see Your handiwork, and give You all glory, honor and praise. Father, please forgive me my sin, and call me into Your righteous works today. May my shame melt away into Your saving grace. May all heaven and earth praise You for Your glorious work. You are holy and righteous and good. I give my life over to You as a sacrifice of praise. 

Amen.

Additional reading:
Colossians 3:1-17

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

⁵ Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. ¹¹ Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.