The mind that descends
The humility of Christ
Paul holds up the supreme example and tells us to copy its inner logic: have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And what was that mind? The One who was in the very form of God did not cling to his status. He emptied himself, took the form of a servant, and humbled himself to death on a cross.
Christ used his exalted position to descend, not to ascend — spending his status on others rather than hoarding it. He was rich, and for our sake became poor. That downward motion is the mind every Christian leader is told to share.
“Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
— Paul, to the Philippians — Philippians 2:5 (WEB)
Adopt the mind of Christ, who used his status to descend, not ascend. Leadership that imitates him spends its position on others.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor.”
Christ held the highest status and used it to go lowest. A leader formed here treats whatever status he gains as something to spend on others, not to hoard. He learns the downward motion of the One he follows. The inner work is letting the mind of Christ reshape what you do with status.
Spend your position, influence, and resources to lift others rather than to climb or protect yourself. Make decisions that descend toward those with less, as Christ did toward us. Model the downward motion so your team learns to do the same. Treat every gain in status as more capacity to serve.
Leaders use new status to climb higher and guard what they have, the exact reverse of the mind of Christ. The blind spot is an upward, self-protective instinct masquerading as good stewardship of influence.
Identify one bit of status or advantage you hold. This week, spend it to lift someone with less — descend with it, the way Christ descended for you.
We instinctively use whatever status we gain to climb higher and protect what we have. The mind of Christ does the opposite — it treats status as something to spend on others, descending so that they might be lifted.
Are you using your position and status to climb and protect, or, like Christ, to descend and lift others?