Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This celebration is not just a family celebration, but also a cosmic celebration. Apart from being a sign of God’s salvation, the birth of Jesus has become a model of humility for humankind. We are taught to learn from Jesus that we should not be arrogant for what we have achieved, and who we are, for ‘Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited.’ (v.6) The incarnation of Jesus has shown us the virtue of humbleness and what the life for others is. Being humble becomes a virtue in Christian living. This is something that we should learn throughout our lives. Nevertheless, when humbleness is more associated with a kind of personal ethic and weak character, such as, never-mind and no fighting for rightness, we may distort Paul’s request, ‘Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.’ (v.5)
Being humble in our understanding of God
The incarnation of Jesus is fundamentally a challenge to a kind of belief that reduces God to a definition of omnipotence and omnipresence. Perhaps, the incarnation does not create any problem for Chinese, for there is no sharp distinction between God and humans in Chinese culture. But this is not the case in both Greek and Jewish context at that time. For instance, the Jewish word, holy (separation), applied to God highlights the distinction between God and humanity. The people at that time find ridiculous to accept that Jesus is the incarnated God. In their eyes, the incarnation of Jesus does not reflect the humbleness and the nearness of God to humanity, but the second class of God. Thus, the implication of the incarnation of Jesus is not just about being humble in general, but being humble in our understanding of God. God is always beyond what we understand and frame. The incarnated God opens our eyes to see that God is not defined in terms of powerfulness and glory, but revealed in terms of powerlessness and suffering. I consider that this is one of the messages in Advent. On the one hand, we have to reflect in what way we have distorted the image of God. On the other, we have to be humble so that we can see God in his own revealed way. You may not agree with me, but I have seen God in the lives of the homosexual.
Being humble instead of being success
The incarnation of Jesus is a challenge to an ideology of success measured by economic and social achievements as well as power. In fact, Jesus did not come with social status that the Jews had expected. What the incarnation of Jesus challenges is not against the rich. Nor is it against people with high social status. Rather it is against an ideology of success that is inclined to see the value of a person based on what achievements he/she has had. For instance, if you successfully enter into a university, get a well-paid job, have a flat and have good children, you are a successful person. There is nothing wrong to have all these, but it is wrong that these become criterion of what success is, for we have created a lot of failed persons. More importantly, these turn our lives fail to live differently, for we have already lost the power of imagination. This is exactly that this belief has dominated society. Jesus does not have a career, a property, a family and money, but he has a vision in his life (Lk 4:18-19). His vision does not earn reputation for him, but rather he is killed for it. Despite this, he is exalted (v.11). Being humble is not only about a matter of arrogance, but also about a life lived with the vision of God. Being humble does not mean that you should not be an CEO, but be an CEO with the vision of God. In other words, being humble is to choose to live differently, not the way in accordance with the logic of success.
Being humble is to welcome and share
Finally, the incarnation of God is a challenge to a hierarchical mentality. In fact, I find that Paul has such kind of tendency in his writing. What he said that ‘taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and being found in human form’ (v.7) has an implication that human form is the lower than God's nature, and therefore, the idea of kenosis (being humble) is established. It is true that human lives are fragile and vulnerable, but human lives are still invaluable. Here, I am not arguing that God’s nature and human nature are on the same status, but rather their values are understood in their own terms, not in comparison. Likewise, we are not able to compare the value of humans and animals on the same status, for they are not the same.
Thus, the incarnation of Jesus has no implication of that the human nature is secondary, but ironically this is the human nature that can accommodate God. The incarnation of Jesus is not that the divinity of Jesus is clothed with human nature, but rather the divine nature has taken human nature in its own, and vice versa. In other words, the incarnation of Jesus signifies God’s openness to humanity in which humans are invited to participate into the life of the Trinitarian God. Likewise, we are challenged to be open to God and our fellow humans.
What the incarnation of Jesus has revealed is not just a privatized form of humbleness, but a subversive humbleness, for it challenges our concept of God, challenges us to think and live differently, and to open ourselves to my fellow humans as well as God.
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