Some speculate that Jesus was being baptized to purify the sins of Israel just as his death was a sacrifice for them as well. Whatever the case, Jesus baptism showed humility and obedience. Although John was greatest "among those born of women" (Matt 11:11), he was still not worthy to untie Jesus' sandals (Mark 1:7).
I've been trying to figure out how to have some of this humility. As a PhD student, it's easy to get prideful about my intelligence or about other gifts that God has given me, but Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Phil. 2:6-8
I play piano in our church worship band. I'm pretty good. There's a 6th grader who is starting to learn, and he is very good for his age. But I know right now...I'm still better. I can get a little possessive of the piano bench because aren't we trying to make the best music we can for the worship experience? But I think it's more about me.I decided giving up the piano would be my first "Christ-like" act for this blog. But when it came to it...I didn't want to. I didn't even think much about it until he came up and asked to play for one of the songs. I remembered what I was going to do...and after thinking about it for a bit, I got up and let him take the bench.
Such a little thing, but I believe the road to becoming more like Christ is paved with little decisions.
