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 and be found in him.
Philippians 3:7-9
I love when my kids come up to me and say, “Daddy, look what I did,” and show me a colorful picture, an innovative Lego creation, or a terrifying gymnastics maneuver. They’re learning about the world, their abilities, and the importance of trying new things, and I thoroughly enjoy watching their self-confidence grow. It’s cute, praiseworthy, and warms my heart.
I’ve noticed, however, that when I act like this, people find it far less heartwarming. No one finds it cute when I constantly say, “Hey look at this amazing thing I did,” or “Let me tell you about all my accomplishments,” or “Aren’t I awesome?” At some point, the sweet, childish aspect of growing up turns into boasting, arrogance, and self-centeredness.
And yet, we’re all proud of the things we’ve accomplished in life, and we want to boast about them. Whether it’s scoring the winning goal, being cast as the lead, receiving a promotion, getting straight A’s, being accepted by the right group, or just solving today’s 'Wordle' in 2 guesses... we like to promote ourselves and be praised by others. In fact, we often identify ourselves by our achievements, successes, and skills, especially when we write our resumés.
The Apostle Paul had much for which he could boast, and at one point he identified himself by unmatched religious pedigree: a properly circumcised Jew, a zealous keeper of the Law, and a truly righteous man. Of all people, he had every reason to boast and to be praised by others (Philippians 3:4-6).
But Paul eventually learned that all those achievements were nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. For him, gaining Christ became far superior to his ethnicity, affiliations, or personal goodness. He no longer boasted about himself; he boasted about Jesus. He ceased to identify himself as a Jew, a Pharisee, or even as a righteous man. Now, he identified himself as a “servant of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:1).
Rather than promote our achievements and awesomeness, we should promote Jesus’ achievements and surpassing greatness. Whatever amazing things we have done or will do, they are mere rubbish compared to being called His servants. If we’re going to boast about anything, we should boast about Jesus. He is the Lord; He is our Savior; He is the King of all. And we belong to Him… what could possibly top that?
To Jesus alone be the glory, the honor, and the praise, forever and ever. Amen.
God bless you!
Fr. BJ
