Philippian 3:7-11 is a potent portion as we try to understand the enlightenment and progression of Biblical philosophy. If we were to parse this portion of Scripture, it is immediately philosophically confounding. How is it possible to take everything that a person can hold as value—family, friends, belongings, money, etc.—and count it all as a loss upon the event of meeting Jesus? This is a difficult portion for non-Christians to comprehend. The thought of being homeless, without friends or family, destitute, no income, and barely the clothes on your back is not just frightening, but also unwise in order to live. And therein lies the operative phrase—“to live.”
I think about it from this perspective, if there is something, a “thing,” that I really want, I save my money for it. By the time I have saved enough money, that “thing” has a different value to me or is passe and no longer what had originally seemed like the “scratch to my itch.” It no longer holds value to me. Think of the perplexity of the rich young ruler in Mark 10. He could not fathom abandoning his life of opulence and possession just to follow Jesus. Think about it, if Jesus knocked on your door and said, “Let’s go,” would you? Knowing Jesus the way I know Him now, of course I would! But to a new Christian this is tough to comprehend. Let’s look at the logic. Lose everything, but gain everything. Hmmmm, I don’t get it. Lose your life, but gain your soul. Hmmmmm, again, confounding. However, through reading and understanding the life of Christ, this becomes absolutely logical and I can never imagine anything less.
So, how do we present this illogical concept to the Spiritually blind? Introduce them to Jesus in the fullest way possible—not just Biblically and historically, but in the very lives that we lead. Do we really give our all? Do we tithe and take care of our church? Do we serve those in prison? Do we take in those who are destitute? Do we help the needy and the poor? Do we do all that Jesus directed in Matthew 25:35-40? By the way, that wasn’t a suggestion. Very jealous of Paul as he got this honor of being face to face with Jesus and listening to that heavenly wisdom. I can’t wait one day to have such an honor. But, in the meantime, I must do everything I can to dismiss myself and any personal desires, wants, or cravings to serve Him. All freely given to live in eternity who gave His all for me when He didn’t even know me. Ah, but He did.
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