Friday

Betting the Farm

Paul says in Philippians 3.8 that he counts everything else as a loss compared to knowing Jesus. He says that for the sake of gaining Jesus he has lost all things that he once held dear, and that he now compares the things he left behind as trash. What a beautiful and provocative thought.

I think the real issue Paul is addressing here is an age-old question: Is Jesus worth it? Is knowing Him worth giving up everything—worth the cost that he demands of us?


Paul’s answer screams “Yes!” a thousand times over. There is no hesitation even while Paul sits chained up in prison—beaten, lonely and persecuted.


Think of the parable of the pearl of great price: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he had and bought it”(Matt. 13.44). Notice that it was in his joy that he sold everything in order to gain Jesus.


Let us follow Jesus’ commands to count the cost before following Him, but let us also never forget that He is well worth joyfully sacrificing all He asks.


<>Do you believe that Jesus is worth it?

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