But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. – Philippians 3:7

Today's Scripture Reading (April 14, 2021): Philippians 3

Eugene Peterson called it "The Great Reversal." Jesus continually returned to the idea, reminding us that this world has got its priorities messed up. "The Great Reversal" was present every time Jesus taught that in his kingdom, the first would be last, and the last would be first. "The Great Reversal" was present at the Sermon on the Mount, especially in the Beatitudes when Jesus taught "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3) and "Blessed are the meek" (Matthew 5:5). It is the upside-down kingdom that reveals how messed up we really are.

"The Great Reversal" is something that Paul knew well. He knew that this world had corrupted his priorities. It is essential to note the plurality of Paul's "gains" and the singularity of the "loss." All of Paul's gains now counted as one significant loss in the upside-down kingdom. And the Apostle's gains were many. According to Jewish tradition, he was circumcised on his eighth day of life. He was born into Judaism. He had worked hard to become a Pharisee, a Jewish sect that the people respected for their holiness and complete compliance with the directives of the Mosaic Law. He had persecuted the church because he believed that the early Christians were violators of the Jewish law. He had been educated by Gamaliel the Elder, a leading authority in the Jewish courts. Paul knew that he had much about which he could brag. And earlier in his career, he did.

But Paul was stopped on the Damascus Road by a voice asking one question: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me" (Acts 9:4)? At that moment, Paul was introduced to "The Great Reversal." Everything that he had pursued and worked hard to achieve now added up one significant loss because it was precisely these things that had caused him to miss Jesus.

I wonder if we miss the importance of Paul's statement. Often, we work for power and respect the same way that Paul had toiled for it. We want to be recognized for our achievements. We want people to know about the height of our educational accomplishments, and we want them to see the positive actions in our daily lives. But I have to admit that often when I look at church elder boards and the ecclesiastical hierarchy, I really don't see a difference between the Church of Jesus Christ and the institutions in our world. Our sense of importance often seems to be based on the very things that Paul counted as loss.

If you want to see real Christian leadership, it is often hard to find. But that is not because it isn't there, but instead because authentic Christian leadership works behind the scenes, doing the things that we usually cannot see. Once in a while, these leaders get highlighted, but most of the time, they work without recognition. And that is just the way they want it because the only recognition they want comes from above and the Savior they seek to serve. These servants are the leaders of the upside-down kingdom and the stars of "The Great Reversal."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Philippians 4