What is of true value to you: Philippians 2:19-3:12
To Paul, the one thing of value in his life was Christ. He said in Philippians 1:21 “for me, to live as Christ, and to die is gain” Paul continues this theme in this passage, and seems saddened when others didn’t make Christ their first priority. For example in 2:21 we see Paul saying “others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Christ” Paul doesn’t go further into detail here, and he is not necessarily criticizing these people, but what he is saying is that Timothy is focused solely on the mission of Christ and Paul is celebrating Timothy’s focus.
Paul goes on in Chapter 3 to say that our human credentials, our human efforts are nothing compared to knowing Christ. It is not by our human efforts that we get anywhere, but it is by Christ alone that we are made right with God. In 3:8-9 Paul goes as far to say “I know regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered loss of all things—indeed I regard them as dung!—that I may know Christ, and be found in Him...”
“The aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to be like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” 3:10-11
Paul admits in the following verse that he has not gotten to this point yet, but he continues to make this is goal. This is what he is striving for; this is what is of true value to Paul: to live as Christ, letting others see Christ through his words and actions.
We too are striving for something. Right here right now there is something you are striving for. Something that has true value to you, you are desperate for it. What are you desperate for? What are you striving for? These are big questions. Questions I hope you don’t take lightly. As followers of Christ we will fail sometimes. But when we fail, may we not lose sight on the goal. To live as Christ through our words and actions.