Thursday 7 November 2024
Philippians 3:3-8. Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord – Psalm 104(105):2-7. Luke 15:1-10.
Focus on our salvation and eternal place in God’s kingdom
Philippians is both a joyful and deeply countercultural letter. Paul believed he had more reason for taking pride in his identity than anyone. He boasts, listing his impeccable pedigree and career highlights; everything that would have granted him special status and privilege. If Paul had a LinkedIn profile, this would be on it. And yet Paul regards all those things – ethnic, social and religious status markers – as ‘garbage’. Consider what grants us status. Consider our LinkedIn profiles: it’s hard to see all that as garbage (I’ve worked so hard for my accomplishments). Yet Paul urges us to move beyond these superficial measures of ourselves. In a society obsessed with egotistical identity markers, Paul’s call to abandon all claims to status for the simplicity of following Christ is a radical and uncomfortable idea. To do so means recognising our impermanence and focusing on our salvation and eternal place in God’s kingdom. What else could be more countercultural, or a more worthy cause for joy?
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