Philippians 3:8 (NLT)
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the
infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded
everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
On our roadways we find lots of garbage—empty and broken
bottles, plastic bags, wrappers, broken pieces of stuff we can barely identify.
All of it was once useful but is no longer needed or is just broken or lost.
Though it ought to be cleaned up, it’s clear that no one really needs it.
Paul writes about many things that he once thought he
needed—for example, his flawless Jewish heritage. According to the law of God,
this Pharisee was about as righteous as anyone could be. But Paul now considers
all this “a loss.” This is the same word used in Acts 27:21 for a ship’s cargo
that is tossed into the sea in a vicious storm. It has value, but compared to
saving a person’s life, it is, as Paul bluntly calls it, “garbage.” Far more
valuable, he says, is “to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his
resurrection and participation in his sufferings.”
Often we also place too much value on the wrappings of our
faith and miss the real gift. Maybe it’s our status as a church leader, or our
membership in a popular church. Or maybe we think our own gifts and talents are
better than others’. In comparison to really knowing Jesus, these other things
are merely garbage. Of course, we shouldn’t toss them out, but we must place
them at the foot of the cross, asking Jesus to infuse our church, our lives,
and our ministry with his love, purpose, and power.
Dear Lord, if we have placed too much importance on the
wrappings of our faith. Please fill our lives with your love and power. In the
Name of Jesus, Amen.
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