He Did Not Consider It Something to Exploit

Philippians 2:6 · Fresh Start: When Life Takes an Unexpected Turn

“Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.” — Philippians 2:6 (CEB)

Jesus had every right to power. Equal with God, the highest status imaginable. And he chose not to use it for his own advantage. The word Paul uses is “exploit,” meaning to grasp, to leverage, to weaponize for personal benefit. Jesus looked at the most legitimate claim to authority in the universe and decided not to cash it in.

We exploit our advantages constantly, often without realizing it. Education, position, connections, knowledge, we use what we have to maintain our place in the hierarchy. Not because we’re terrible people, but because the system rewards it. Jesus models something different: holding power without being held by it. Having every right to dominate and choosing instead to serve.

This doesn’t mean pretending you don’t have influence. It means refusing to let influence become the thing that defines you. The path downward starts here, not with forced humility, but with the voluntary release of what you could have claimed.

God who holds all power, teach us to hold ours loosely. Christ, you had every right and chose to serve. Holy Spirit, show us where we’re exploiting what we should be releasing. Amen.