True Valor

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

-Philippians 2:8

When we think of bravery and valor, we think of strong, courageous people who look into the face of danger and do not flinch. They are steadfast and immovable from their mission, and when faced with temptation, they don’t give in. These are the heroes of our stories, the ones we read about and watch in the movies, the ones we look to when times get tough.

But the truest noble one isn’t a fictional character or a mix of our imaginations. He is real, He came into the history of the world, and saved the souls of mankind.

Jesus bravely and willingly came to earth to be constrained to human skin, emotion, and thought. He was fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9), and was completely obedient to God the Father, even to the point of death.

True valor and honor lies in the humility of Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

-Philippians 2:6-8

Jesus’ strength lay in His willingness to walk this world to fully understand and empathize with us, so that He may intercede to the Father on our behalf, a High Priest who knows our pain, our fears, our hopes, and everything we need (Hebrews 4:15).

At just the right time, when we were overcome in our sin, Jesus accepted His role in this cosmic rescue mission and came to set us free. He faced humiliation, injustice, mockery, and misunderstanding and still stood strong on His identity and the will of His Father. His love compelled Him to come for us, to face death and the wrath of God. This is the greatest hero story, full of valor and honor, hope and restoration.

Praise be to God for the beauty of Jesus and how He sacrificed for us to be set free!

God, what an incredible rescue mission! Thank You for sending Jesus to set us free from our sin, and that He was willing to come to earth. Help me to understand what He did more deeply, to be overcome by His sacrifice, and to tell others about it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Questions for Reflection

-          How does knowing Jesus willingly came to earth to die for you make you feel?

-          How can you live a life of valor like Jesus?