The underlying key to all aspects of our relationship with Jesus is our surrender to Him.  So how does humility express surrender in our lives?  Early on, I thought the essence of humility is surrender; such as in Philippians 2:5, 8; where it says, ” Let Jesus’ attitude be in you.  .  Who, being found as a man, humbled himself, and became a slave, and was obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”

It was a surrender for Jesus, Who IS GOD, to even become a man; and when He found Himself in the body of a man, (as if that weren’t enough), He surrendered Himself and became a slave; and even more, He surrendered Himself in being obedient to die for us; and if that weren’t enough, to die the worst, most tortuous kind of death, on a cross.”  (So how can anyone imagine that this was an unplanned, random event? Must’ve been by design.)

So when you consider all the ways Jesus showed surrender before and during His life on this earth; it really does become clear that humility is the essence of surrender; and surrender is the fullest expression of humility.  But surrender is NOT just about being humble.  Jesus surrendered and we surrender equally in love, thanksgiving, trust, obedience and service.