Rank has privileges. The President of the United States enjoys travel, dining, and entertainment options that few of us can imagine.

Now, imagine that the President decided to forego these privileges and instead chose to live a simple lifestyle among society's poorest people. Outrageous! No doubt he would be widely criticized for belittling his important position.

Someone greater than the President freely chose to do exactly that:

"although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8)

The phrase, "emptied Himself", is difficult to wrap our minds around. I'm picturing a bottle of the most expensive wine available being opened and poured out into cheap paper cups and given to some of the dirtiest, poorest, most destitute homeless people in the world. The expensive wine, rather than being used for some advantage among the rich and powerful, is instead given to those who could not possibly offer anything in return.

The priority of the majority is filling up (fame, fortune, pleasure), not emptying out. Upending our lives in emptying service runs completely contrary to the norm but is the true pathway to achievement and fulfillment, as modeled by Jesus:

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him" (Philippians 2:9)

It was not in SPITE of His humility but BECAUSE of it that God exalted Him. Emptiness was turned into fullness. Weakness became strength. Poverty became wealth.

The Principle of the Upside Down is our pattern. Experience fullness through emptiness. Find strength in weakness. Acquire true wealth through poverty. Lead by serving.

Steve