Making Myself Nothing

So I was spending time with Jesus this morning. Normally I come out of my time with Jesus extremely lifted up, encouraged, pumped, "on-fire"; however, this morning I came out completely pathetic. Why? Well, taking a look at this life I am living and what I have to offer and what I have to bring to the table is merely embarrassing. By table, I mean...works. It seems like I try to "work" my butt off, and it merely does nothing. 

Realizing that is exactly where I am supposed to be. To know that I really don't have anything to bring to the table...I have nothing. So if I have nothing, why do I act like I have something. Why do I act like I have something to offer? I wake up everyday, and in my mind I feel like "I" can do something to really make a difference. I feel like "I" really can fix a problem that I am dealing with. I feel like "I" really have the amazing genius answer to a contemplative question. Well the reality is that I don't. I don't have anything to offer. Yes, I know, I know, it sounds like I am giving you this "poor Ryan speech". It's really not that. It's really just me trying to be real about where I am at. 

I believe in humility. I believe it is humility that makes our walk grow further with Christ. I believe humility is where Christ wants us to be at. In fact it is Philippians 2 that we find that Christ was the example of humility. "But in humility, count others more significant than yourselves..." We can ignore that verse everyday. The fact is that is where Christ wants us at, absolute total humility. The idea that someone else, in fact everyone else is more important than yourself, it's hard to live out. In all honesty, there are people that I simply do not want to do this for. This makes me a hypocrite. "Follow Christ, but not all of it". Is that what I am saying? Sadly, yes it is. My challenge is Follow Christ completely, or don't follow at all. This is not to say that I won't fail, that my flesh won't take over. What I am saying is that it is our goal as follower of Christ, to strive as in Matthew 5:48 to be perfect. We will never obtain perfection until heaven, but we don't give up on it here on earth.

Live in humility friends. Count other interests, more significant than your own. Live as Christ lived. "...but made himself NOTHING, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Live in humility. You are nothing. I am nothing, without Him.

Here's a song that capture's that: Bebo Norman - Nothing Without You