Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus who did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself. Grasping seems like the most natural thing for a human being to do. Think of a new born baby, wrapping their little fist around your finger. We want something we don’t have and so grasp after security, education, meaning, purpose, even love. Of course, grasping is what God Adam and Eve in trouble. They grasped after that apple. Jesus does not grasp after divinity because he didn’t need to — he was “in the form of God” and so he was free to empty himself, to give himself away. If we are to avoid the sin of Adam and Eve then the starting point has to be what we already have, who we already are. We already are children of God, made in God’s image and likeness, precious in God’s sight. No one or nothing can take that way from us. Since we are confident in our identity we do not need to grasp after status or possessions or power. We have all that we need for a full, happy life. We can empty ourselves in loving service to others as Jesus did as our way of showing trust and confidence in the God who has blessed us beyond belief.
