Romans 15:3: For Christ Did Not Please Himself

Romans 15:3
[3] For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” (ESV)

This verse should jar our very senses. It there was ever a person on this earth who should have lived to please himself it was the Son of God himself. He alone is fully God. As a result he should be glorified. In fact, if he lived for himself it would mean that he was giving glory to himself. That would completely appropriate.

Jesus did not please himself. The King of kings humbled himself to the point of allowing himself to receive the reproach of godless, rebellious, wretched mankind. It would have been one thing if the God of the universe would have added humanity to his being and then been worshiped and honored. Instead, the thanks he received was to be falsely accused, mocked, and killed on a cross.

Now consider what our society teaches us on a daily basis. We are told that we should live for ourselves. We need to believe in ourselves. Man seems to be obsessed with himself. I would love to say that the Christian world is not impacted by this worldly viewpoint, but I would be wrong. Prosperity preachers far and wide preach that God wants us to have wealth, possessions and health.

If Christ came to earth and did not please himself, what would cause those who claim to be his followers to think that somehow we should live to please ourselves. Philippians 2 makes it very clear that we are to have the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus. The humility that the Son of God displayed is a model for us to follow.

In what ways are you currently living to please yourself? How can you allow God to change your perspective so that you can have the same humility that he demonstrated?