Big and small … tall and short … expensive and cheap … all these terms are relative; they require a standard to determine their meaning.
How do I know something is big? Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the scale. If the scale is comparing an elephant to an ant, then the elephant is big and the ant is small. BUT, if I am comparing an ant to an atom, then the ant is big and the atom is small.
How do I know something is tall? Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the yardstick. Compared to my son, I am tall … while compared to Shaquille O’Neil, I am short.
How do I know something is expensive? Well, I compare it to something else, and that comparison determines the value. Compared to the biggest house in Norman, my house is modest … but compared to where the majority world lives, I live in a mansion.
I share these examples today to set the stage for part 2 of our “Greater Than” series this Sunday at Wildwood. This week we will be looking at Philippians 3:1-16. In these verses, the Apostle Paul tells us that compared to the value of knowing Christ, everything else in his life is loss. Paul is saying that the blessings he has known based on his nationality, religion, work ethic, family, etc. are absolutely NOTHING compared to knowing Christ. Paul had spent the first long season of his life comparing his achievements against his past performance and the performance of his friends … therefore somethings were “wins” and others were “losses.” But after Paul came to know Jesus Christ, the scale shifted. Instead of comparing the events of his life to each other, he compared them to Christ, and found them ALL worthless compared to the One who was WORTHY.
All of us need to hear Paul’s reflection on this topic, because all of us are tempted to find our worth in what we do. But there is a better yardstick for us to measure our lives by … not so much what we do, but Who we follow. Join us Sunday in our 8AM (outside), 9:30 and 11:00AM (inside) or 9:30AM livestream – wildwoodchurch.org/live – as we explore this further. See you Sunday!