Winning and Losing

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (Philippians 3:7-11)

After a weekend of playoff football, we will hear a great deal about winning and losing. If you are a fan of the New England Patriots or San Francisco 49ers, please pardon the reminder. Usually, when we think about “loss”, we focus on the emotions and costliness of the loss. What could have been done to prevent defeat?

This past weekend, I challenged members of our church family to become “good losers”. In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul has a lot to say about losing. Yet, his perspective constantly leans forward from what has been lost to what has been gained. It’s understandable when you consider that Paul writes about “gaining” Christ. Paul’s writing in Philippians reflects his understanding of the Gospel. His teaching echoes the message of Jesus. Remember that Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25).

It’s a different type of loss. It’s an incomparable gain. Paul understood that life is found in Christ. He understood that nothing that can be gained apart from Christ could ever be worth as much as knowing Christ. Therefore, Paul could speak in relative terms. Whatever has been lost is just “rubbish” in comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therein lies the challenge for me this week. Does the path and motivation of my life resemble Paul’s? Do I want to be found in Christ? Do I want to know Him? Does my life reflect my love for Christ?