Clothed In Humility

Clothed in Humility

She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger.

Luke 2:7

He got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

John 13:4-5

He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock.

Luke 23:53

Most of us like to look good. We like to impress other people, and we realize that what we wear sends a message about ourselves. So we look for clothes that will tell people what we want to say about who we are.

From the day he was born, Jesus’ clothing told us something significant about him. The way he dressed reflected the attitude of his heart: humility. Mary didn’t have nice clothes to put on Jesus. In fact, there were no clothes at all for him—just strips of cloth that were wrapped around him.

Jesus chose to take off the robes of glory that were his in heaven. He laid them aside to be wrapped in rags. He “took the humble position of a slave” (Philippians 2:7) instead of seeking to impress.

We see this same picture in another scene much later in Jesus’ life. The night before he died, Jesus took off his robe and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he began to wash the dusty feet of his disciples. And when he finished he told them, “I have given you an example to follow” (John 13:15).

Jesus shows us what it looks like to clothe ourselves in humility. With this kind of wardrobe, our intent will not be to impress but to serve.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

Think about your favorite outfit. What does it say about you?

Think through Jesus’ life and lifestyle. In addition to the way he dressed, what were some other signs that showed his humility?

What does Philippians 2:3-8 teach us about the humility of Jesus? how we can dress the same way?