Losses and Gains

 Paul says in Philippians 3:7, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." (NASB)

As I was reflecting on this verse and the verses that follow it (which I strongly encourage you to read) I thought about all of the things that Paul counted in the previous verses as loss.  His religious birth, his obedience to the law, his energy and vigor in following God, his own righteousness.  He counted all of these things as loss.  It was as if they counted against him rather than for him.  What could make such glorious things count against him rather than for him?  Only Christ Jesus.  And when compared with the work of Jesus Christ, these things that formerly he boasted in now are removed and all that is left for boasting is Jesus.  

I wonder in our lives if we take too much credit and count too much these things that when compared to Christ do not matter.  Do we talk about how much we give to the church?  How much time, how much money, how much service we give to the church as if our time and money and service can even compare to the sacrifice that Christ would make.  Do we talk about our Christian upbringing as if we have something to brag about compared to those who did not have it?  Do we think that we are better than others by virtue of any form of comparison?  All of these things fail when it comes to the work of Christ.

As I think about it, part of the problem is my attachment to a whole list of earthly things and often I fail to see the grandeur of what Christ has accomplished because I am not looking for grandeur, I am hoarding things that I should be counting loss.  Don't hoard losses.  Claim Christ's gains!