LOSE TO GAIN...AND GROW

Philippians 3: 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Paradoxical thought isn't it? Lose to gain? I don't believe it is a stretch for us to relate to the Jews of Paul's time. Think about it. They were God's chosen people. They knew that God has picked them to be a great nation. They hear about this Jesus who some say is the Messiah and were asked to follow a new Way. Their response…."Give up all this? For this maverick from Nazereth? I have everything I could possibly want. You want me to give up my reputation, my power, my money, my camels with spinners and boots with the furs? For some carpenter rabbi? I would be thought crazy. People would mock me. I would be the fodder for gossip. They would laugh at me at the Wal-market when I invited them to church or talked about Him. NO THANK YOU! I am happy right where I am. I know God loves me, and that is enough".

Paul goes on to share his desire: 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… His words to me are saying “I want to be like Jesus, one of His disciples.” Sunday I quoted Charles Spurgeon who said “an ounce of heart knowledge is worth more than a ton of head learning”. This may be where the rubber meets the road in our spiritual growth. Do we really desire to know Jesus intimately? Or just socially so we can be thought to be a part of His crowd?