One time I worked for a painter back around 1997. We were painting the exterior of an older house, but the elderly homeowners had some troublesome bushes lining the home. I asked my boss how we were supposed to paint around them, and he instructed me to go ahead and trim them.
Well, I’m not much of a gardener, so I just chopped away until I created a nice wide passageway for workspace between the house and the bushes. I was actually quite proud of my work. The elderly homeowner, however, didn’t share my enthusiasm. I’ll never forget the tone of this woman’s voice when she came out, gasped in horror and shrieked, “He ruined my prize rhododendrons!” We lost the job.
People have their identity wrapped up in all sorts of things. Having the best looking yard, making the most money, wearing the nicest clothes, driving the most expensive car, marrying the trophy spouse, being the hardest worker, being the best at sports, having the right family background, etc. All these status symbols tell the world who we are and what we’ve accomplished.
Well, there is one guy who really had a lot to brag about, if he chose to. The apostle Paul. Look what he says about himself in Philippians 3:4-6, “though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”
He could have bragged about this. But he didn’t. At one point in his life, that was his identity. All those things were so important to him, and important for him to show off to the world. But when he came to Christ, he had an entirely different attitude.
Follow what he says in the next few verses, ” But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (vs. 7-11)
Where do you find your confidence? What is your identity wrapped up in? Once you come to Christ, and experience real transformation, you should recognize that now you belong to God, and anything your are in Him or accomplish in Him are for His glory.
There is no room for pride in God’s family.
We are all on a level playing field in Christ.