Paul encourages us in his letter to the Philippians, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Ben Gutierrez argues in Living Out The Mind of Christ, the antecedent “this” points backward to what Paul was describing. At least more than forward to what he would describe, how Christ Himself exhibited these qualities. That is, Christ gives an example in making Himself of no reputation. Being of one mind, being humble and self-less is the thing itself, the mindset we are called to.
Like much of Christian life, we’re challenged less to grasp what we’re called to, more to doing actually do it. Our eyes scan these qualities, ascertain quickly they’re easy to understand and then assume we needn’t pay them much mind. As if Adam’s and Eve’s problem was they couldn’t quite grasp what God meant when He said, “That tree right there- don’t eat its fruit.”
A certain level of intelligence does not define the mind of Christ. Paul doesn’t command us to aspire to grow ever closer to omniscience. Instead the mind of Christ focusses away from itself. It was, I believe, Lewis or Chesterton (it usually is either Lewis or Chesterton) who said “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.” That the Lord of Glory would stoop so low as to wash the disciples’ feet shocks us. How much more that He did so on the night He was betrayed, the night His passion began. He had His mind on them.
We, however, act much like our first parents. Jesus Himself, the very one we turn to for our salvation told us that if we would gain our lives we must lose them. That’s about as clear as the very first command. We too don’t trust our Lord. Who, we wonder, will look after our needs, our wants, if we are focusing on the needs of others? How will we get the accolades that mean so much to us if we don’t at the least let others know what we’re up to? How will my interests be protected if not by me?
If we want the mind of Christ we must pursue the heart of Christ. Jesus trusts His heavenly Father, believes every word from His lips. He knows that His heavenly Father will look after His needs. He trusts His heavenly Father to glorify Him. Jesus trusts His heavenly Father to protect Him. All we have to do to have this is to die. Last, when we die we will see Him as He is and be like Him. First, as we die to self in the here and now the better we reflect what we will be in the then and there.