This weeks Pastor to Person was written by Pastor Caleb Beller.
[Phl 3:8 NKJV] 8 “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
I came across this short story and found it applicable,
A father said to his daughter “You graduated with honors, here is a car I acquired many years ago. It is several years old. But before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them I want to sell it and see how much they offer you. The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father, and said, “They offered me $1,000 because it looks very worn out.” The father said, “Take it to the pawnshop.” The daughter went to the pawnshop, returned to her father, and said, “The pawn shop offered $100 because it was a very old car.” The father asked his daughter to go to a car club and show them the car. The daughter took the car to the club, returned, and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 for it since it’s a Nissan Skyline R34, an iconic car and sought out after by many.” The father said to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way.” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. Never stay in a place where no one sees your value.
The story helps us understand how value works. We often say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Here Paul has been describing a list of things that many would consider valuable. His family background, cultural background, job, and things he cared about. All these things are not bad things, but they are also not ultimate things. Paul is not saying these things are trash, his point is that in comparison to Jesus, we should consider them like trash.
When it comes to what you consider valuable in your life, how does Jesus compare? Does what Jesus say matter more than family? Is time with Him as exciting as time on social media? Do you make sacrifices for work or a career that you wouldn’t make for Him? Paul’s point is that the sooner we realize that Jesus isn’t just valuable, but He is the most valuable, we will experience the joy and contentment, peace, and thanksgiving that comes from the truth of the Gospel. May God help us see the treasure we have in Jesus and the treasure we are to Jesus!