When the treasure becomes waste.

"But whatever was to my profit reputei-loss for Christ.

And indeed I also count all things loss,

the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord;

for whom I suffered the loss of all things,

and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. "

(Philippians 3:7-8).

What you want most in life? What do you value most from what you have? What are your dreams? What are your goals for the next five, ten years? What you really are valuable to you?

We all have our treasures, things of which we are proud, we also all have dreams, goals and things we desire.

Paul was no different, this young Jewish doctor of the Mosaic law, had his list of things considered valuable, and certainly another list of things I still wanted to achieve.

It is likely that Paul was very proud to be both a Jew, as a Roman citizen, having been well instructed in the law of Moses, at the feet of Gamaliel master, being a zealous persecutor of those who taught something he believed not the true law of God of Israel. It is likely, though, that he had many dreams based on these values ​​that he considered. Who knows a great teacher in Israel, as Gamaliel, become a member of the Sanhedrin, or other stuff.

But the fact is that one day your dreams have changed, and also their values.

How did this happen?

Through a meeting. On a trip to Damascus that Paul did, in order to pursue some Christians, he met the Lord of those whom he persecuted. Suddenly on the road, a very strong light appeared, Paul falls, and then a voice asks him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" This meeting has completely changed his story, changed his way of seeing and living life, and that's why he wrote the text on which we are meditating.

The view that Paul acquired after the encounter with the Savior did change their evaluation parameters of things. So much so that what was once advantage, gain, profit became simply "scum", or junk. And all this for one reason, but one very good reason, that he himself explains: "that I may gain Christ."

To gain Christ there is a price that can be considered high, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me;" ( Matthew 16:24). The price is simply resigning himself. A high price? Certainly. However, not a painful price. Not when it is to gain Christ Jesus, the greatest treasure a man can have. In this case, the other things we could have without him lose all its value: "I also count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord."

Do not you remember the parable of the hidden treasure? When man is truly the treasure of the kingdom he runs to sell everything he has in order to possess this treasure? The most interesting is that this is not done with regret or sadness. One who understands the value of the Kingdom, divests himself of all the joy, the joy of having the privilege of belonging to God!

Many are those who do not understand the radical transformations that occur in the lives of those who surrender their ways to the Lord. Change habits, physical appearance, personal tastes, environments frequented circles of friendships, goals and purposes - everything changes. The reason? What was profit was gold, it was treasure, was proridade now is scrap, slag, something infinitely less and cheerfully and spontaneously renounced, so that we may win Christ, ie, to obtain our eternal salvation.

Repute for junk old things (those that were once valuable, that guided their dreams in this world), not with regret, but with joy, because of the greatness of the knowledge of the Savior, and you will be worthy of the Kingdom that He promised us all !