Scripture: Philippians 2:6-7 (NRSV)
“...who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.”
Reflection:
This passage is not about self-erasure. It is about posture. Paul points to Jesus, who “did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself.” This reflects the pattern of incarnation: God choosing solidarity over safety, presence over distance, vulnerability over control.
What makes this so remarkable is that Jesus had every reason to protect himself—every reason to keep his distance from human suffering and frailty, and to stay above the messiness of embodied life. Yet the core claim of Christian faith is that God became flesh—fully entering human vulnerability, limitation, and even death. Not as a way to fix everything from the outside, but as a commitment to be with us from within.
This is the posture we’re invited into. Not because we’re called to be saviors, but because we’re called to follow the One who refused to love from a distance. In a culture obsessed with self-preservation—where we’re constantly measuring what things cost us, protecting our energy, withdrawing at the first sign of discomfort—this way of being feels countercultural and risky. And it is. But the invitation is not to lose ourselves. It’s to trust that grace holds us even as we lean outward, that we can risk presence without being consumed by it.
The question for us isn’t whether moving closer is costly. The real question is whether we can afford to keep choosing distance when love is calling us into a deeper relationship. Faith that costs us something looks like showing up when withdrawal feels easier. Like staying engaged when pulling away might seem safer. Like trusting that the God who chose closeness will hold us as we risk closeness ourselves.
Practice:
Practice intentional closeness today—listening without interrupting, staying engaged during difficult moments, or offering presence instead of solutions.
Journaling Prompt:
Where do you feel resistance to closeness right now? What fears could be shaping that resistance?
Prayer:
God who comes near,
free us from fear-driven separation.
Teach us the courage to be present
and the trust that love will sustain us.
Amen.