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. —Philippians 2:5–7
Boasting and bragging come naturally to us, but Jesus is an example of genuine love. He knew nothing of a boastful spirit. In fact, when Jesus came to earth, He made Himself of no reputation. He humbled Himself. He didn’t cling to His rights as God or boast of who He was.
In fact, I think of all the times in the Gospels when Jesus could have made a speech about who He was when others didn’t understand Him. But He never bragged about the fact that He was God because He came here to love, and boasting and love are mutually exclusive.
Do you boast about your abilities, your accomplishments, what you have? Do you enjoy telling people about your achievements more than listening to the accomplishments of others? Instead, choose to be humble as you talk with others. I’ve noticed that’s a characteristic in people I respect. They ask questions about you and don’t always talk about themselves.
Make it Personal
In your conversations with others today, make it a point to ask them questions about themselves and to listen twice as much as you talk.