Garbage Everywhere

Take a good look around. Our culture is fixated on stuff. Even Christians get pretty hyped up about stuff, myself sometimes included. We can spend so much energy on stuff and activities. We go crazy over football teams and buy all sorts of memorabilia. We are surrounded by stuff everywhere; and a lot of it isn't what we'd call bad stuff.

However, I would like to suggest an alternative mindset. I can't claim to have come up with this idea, I'm merely passing on an idea set forth by the apostle Paul, and it still rings true today.

In Philippians 3, Paul gives a list of all his achievements, and things that are important to him and then goes on to say "But what things were gain to me, those I have counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I might know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death." (Philippians 3:7-10, KJV)

In the New Century Version, it says in verse 8, "not only those things, but I think all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him, I have lost all those things, and now I know they are worthless trash. This allows me to have Christ.."

How many of us can say that we consider all things trash, or dung, or in another translation, rubbish, in light of knowing Christ more and more? In our stuff-crazed society, and even in most Christian circles, this mindset seems crazy and unnecessary. However, as I have been learning, we need to be willing to give up all things for Christ, counting them all rubbish.

Instead of getting more stuff, or getting excited about things of this world, which aren't considered bad, but are distracting, we should be able to give it all up for God. We cannot, to paraphrase Luke 15:13, serve both God and stuff.

I would propose that we need to pursue Christ more, counting all things else rubbish. This mindset turns those focus from "me" to God. This is a radical shift in thinking. Most of us think that we can be "good" Christians, and still have plenty of stuff, and it is not wrong to spend energy chasing after stuff. We need more people to throw away all things, counting it all as worthless garbage, and pursue Christ with all of our energy.

To be a warrior poet means to throw away all hindrances and concerns, and wholeheartedly pursue his King. In 2 Timothy 2:4, it says "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chose him to be a soldier. " (KJV) In other words, no warrior poet who wants to serve his King gets caught up in the affairs of this life. As it is said in Hebrews 12:1, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us."

It becomes clear that in order to fully know Christ, and continually know Him better, there should be no distractions. I want to know Him more, and I am willing to consider everything as garbage compared to the incomparable greatness of knowing Him all the more. What about you? What will you choose. It is a difficult step, but one with unmatchable rewards!

For Christ's Glory!