Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

 Good morning.  So instead of doing things from selfishness or empty conceit we are to: have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Of course this is what we talked about yesterday. He had everything in heaven as God. But He was willing to come to earth as a little baby. And He did not come into a royal or wealthy family. The innkeeper would have made room for them, even if he had to kick someone out. He gave up all to become one of us. Would we be willing to do that? It's hard for us to give up even a little bit. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. It would've been hard enough to obey and give up heaven to become a man; but He obeyed to the point of giving up His own life for us; even though we had done nothing to show our love for Him. And because of that – God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Even if we knew that would happen to us, we probably still would not do it. He gave up everything, and as a result He gained everything. Father thank You that the reader is willing to give up all for You. And because he’s/she's willing to give up all for You, he/she will gain all from You.