Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
– Phil 2:9-11
The word “therefore” serves as the great hinge to connect Christ’s humiliation—the death of a criminal on a cross—to His exaltation. Because Jesus refused to grasp at equality and instead embraced the form of a servant, the Father responded by vindicating Him. Self-sacrificial humility is the only path that leads to ultimate exaltation. When we partner together in the gospel, we do so under the banner of a King who won His throne by dying for His enemies.
We often fear that if we don’t advocate for ourselves, no one will; if we don’t climb the ladder, we will be left behind. However, the exaltation of Jesus shows that God’s vindication is all that matters. When we serve behind the scenes or defer credit to a partner, we aren’t losing; we are aligning ourselves with God’s economy. Ultimate exaltation isn’t something we can seize for ourselves; God bestows it on those who have first embraced the “mind of Christ” through humility.
Prayer
Father, I praise You for the exaltation of Your Son. May my life and my partnerships reflect the reality that Jesus is Lord, and may all I do bring glory to You. Amen.
Meditation
In what area of your life or ministry are you currently striving for recognition, and how does the promise of God’s ultimate vindication of Christ allow you to release that “need to be seen” in favour of humble service?