The Quiet Power of Taking the Low Place
Going low to lift well, a picture of the servant way of Jesus.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace, Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Jesus shows us that the way up is down. Paul points us to the mind of Jesus in Philippians 2, where the eternal Son did not cling to status, but took the form of a servant and walked a road that led to the cross. Bob Hoekstra draws our eyes to this breathtaking descent, then invites us to see humility not as a gloomy posture, but as the doorway through which grace flows into ordinary days.
Humility is not self-shaming. It is gladly taking the lower seat because Jesus has already secured our place with the Father. He became of no reputation, yet He never lost who He was. In the same way, we do not erase ourselves. We entrust ourselves to God and make room for the Spirit to love through us.
This path is not passive. Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient. Humility moves. It listens. It serves. It obeys. And because grace meets the humble, there is real power here. Not noise. Not pushiness. Quiet strength.
Thank you, Bob Hoekstra, for reminding us that the pattern of Jesus is the pattern set before His people. We set our minds on Him. We take the low place. We trust the Spirit to do in us what He delights to do, so that the life of Jesus, not our self-effort, shines through.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am with you. I give grace to the humble, and I draw near to the lowly in heart. Let the mind of Jesus shape your moments. He did not grasp at status. He emptied Himself, took the servant’s towel, and obeyed to the end. As you set your thoughts on Him, I renew your mind so that you gladly choose the lower place for the sake of love.
I form this humility within you as you abide in the Son. Apart from Him you can do nothing. In Him, you bear fruit that matches His heart. Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, and meekness. Bear with one another. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Above all, put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
When you are misunderstood, entrust yourself to the One who judges justly. Do not return insult for insult. Offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice. In quiet obedience, serve. I lift the humble in due time. I give grace again and again to those who refuse to push their own name forward.
Take up your cross daily. Not to pay for sin, for the Lamb has finished that work, but to choose the path your Lord chose, the path of yielded love. I work in you to will and to do what pleases the Father. As you look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, I make His gentleness and courage your own in the details of today.
Real-Life Analogy
Think about lifting a heavy box from the floor. The safe and strong way is to bend low, bring the weight close, and rise from that lower posture. Going low is not weakness. It is wisdom that lets real strength engage.
Humility works the same way. When a co-worker takes credit for your idea, or a family member speaks sharply, you can go low and draw the weight close to Jesus. Instead of snapping back, you can answer with steady kindness, or quietly do the unseen task that blesses the room. That is not stuffing emotions or running a checklist. It is trusting the indwelling Spirit of Jesus to move through you right now. You might say, Lord, I trust You to express Your humble heart through me in this conversation, guide my words and tone. Then offer a simple response that seeks the other’s good, such as honoring their contribution, asking a calm question, or meeting a real need without announcing it.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that in Jesus I already have a new heart and a new way to walk. Thank You that Your Spirit lives in me, working desire and obedience that fits Your will. Today I gladly take the low place because I am secure in Your love. I receive Your grace that meets me in humility. I praise You that the mind of Christ is mine in Him, and that His servant life flows through me in real moments. I rest in Your provision, confident that as I yield, You are faithful to shape my steps for Your glory and others’ good. Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 5:5-6; James 4:6-10; John 15:4-5; Colossians 3:12-14; Colossians 3:15-17; 1 Peter 2:23; Romans 12:1-2; Luke 14:11; Luke 9:23; Matthew 20:26-28; Mark 10:45; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4-11; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 12:2