Jesus willingly gave up everything to enter our world as a man. Have you been asked to relinquish some of your social, economic, or other status to follow Jesus? Have you used your status to benefit yourself or others? In his article, Timothy Thomas, writes about how the loss of hip-hop artist, Nipsey Hussle, was bigger than just the music. Hussle was committed to his community and utilized his wealth and influence to uplift people, businesses, and neighborhoods where he grew up. “Hussle’s ambition was rooted in his belief in human dignity. From stories shared since his passing, it seems he understood the imago dei better than some famed theologians. This isn’t to suggest he was flawless nor maintained a moral high ground. But the beneficiaries of Nipsey’s selflessness—from streetlight workers to homeless citizens—testify that he acted on the inherent value he saw in people, even at the expense of his own life. … In a world of darkness, he desired to bring elements of hope and light to a people who’ve experienced crushing generational inequities. When asked what things he enjoyed most about his newfound success, Nipsey wisely responded with an intense and esoteric retort: ‘We look at life like it’s about what you can get from life. I read something, and I was like, that’s not what it is, you’ll always be unfulfilled if you look at life like that. It’s about knowing you’re going to leave one day. … And you know when you leave, the only way you’re going to be fulfilled is if you know you gave everything you had. You emptied yourself here, you left it all here, because it’s temporary and you’ve got a moment’” (Timothy Thomas, “Nipsey Hussle: The Selfless Servant,” Christ and Pop Culture, April 9, 2019, https://christandpopculture.com/nipsey-hussle-the-selfless-servant/). What would be difficult for you to give up to serve others?
