Loss for the Sake of Christ

Paul was an amazing man. Born as Saul of Tarsus, he had everything going for him. He called himself "a Hebrew of Hebrews" ( Phil 3:5) and proclaimed that if anyone thinks he has confidence in/of the world, Paul had more. He was highly respected and, for all intents and purposes, had his life handed to him on a silver platter. He was a Pharisee, in the highest class of society, and was a true Israelite through and through. And then Paul met Jesus.

Paul (Saul) was traveling to Damascus to take Christians as prisoners back to Jerusalem, when out of nowhere he saw a light from Heaven flash all around him and a voice rumbled through his ears... "'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting'" the voice replied, and at once Saul became blind. At the same time The Lord spoke to a man named Ananias and instructed him to meet Saul, place his hands on Saul's eyes to restore his sight and fill him with the Holy Spirit. When Saul came to Ananias for healing, "immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again" (Acts 9:18). A few chapters later in Acts, the Lord give Saul a new name, Paul, to signify he was a new creation in Christ. Paul at once began teaching in the synagogues and proving the deity of Christ. Many tried to kill him and he spent much of his life in jail, where he wrote many of the letters of the New Testament.

If you look at Paul's life as a time-line, the middle would be his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and everything to the left he was the persecutor with a highly respected life, and everything to the right he was the persecuted with many death threats and attempts on his life. But he felt that all that was worth the cost of The Mission.

One of my favorite Biblical passages highlights Paul's life: the before and after. He begins by explaining the glories of his previous life: his rich heritage, esteemed status, religious authority, etc. And then Paul makes a bold statement:

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."
-Philippians 3:7-8

Paul understood that Jesus is the most important thing. Paul knew that compared to the Glory of Jesus Christ Himself, everything, everything, is trash. Nothing that we can have or gain in this life on this earth will last. Nothing. Jesus is the ONLY thing that can (and will) stand the test of time, because he created time. So, Paul got it; he knew that serving and following Christ was the only thing that mattered.

So why don't I get it? I know it; I know following Christ is the only thing that matters, because it is the only thing that will last. But "knowing" and "living" and totally different. I "know" a lot of things. And unfortunately I don't live some of them. Despite being cliche, I feel the phrase, "easier said than done" applies here. It's easy to know I need to put Christ first, but it's a different thing to understand how to practically live it every day.

I have a tendency to hold onto things. Most of them are good, wholesome things, but oftentimes when I hold onto those things too tightly, I forget how much more important Christ is in comparison. I get so scared to let go because of  the possibilities that might result, and I forget that everything looks like (and smells like) trash compared to the Great Majesty of Christ and a life of following him. I forget to, "seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things will be added to [me]" (Matthew 6:33). To live with the desire to follow Christ first and foremost requires a moment-by-moment choice to follow Christ first. It's so simple, and yet so profound. I have to acknowledge God every day and make a conscious choice to surrender my dreams, plans, desires, hopes, thoughts, and feelings to Him. Just because I let go of them doesn't mean they won't come to fruition. It simply means that I acknowledge that God's dreams, plans, desires, hopes, thoughts, and feelings are more important than my own. And that is how to count all things as loss for the sake of Christ (see, easier said than done). And the best part is I don't have to do it alone. I can ask God to help me, and He will honor that request faithfully and help make His desires, my desires.

Lord, please help me see You as Paul did. Help me let go of everything the world offers. Help me let go of those things I am tightly grasping, and help me hold onto You, and You alone. 


"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."
-Proverbs 3:5-6