Sharing from a good read part 2

(Continued from Part 1)

The apostle Paul had the same response to the presence of Christ in his life. In Philippians 3 he presented a long list of credentials and accomplishments (v 5-6) that would impress all his readers. A "Hebrew of Hebrews", this Pharisee had established well his significance in religious circles. Yet Paul realised that all this was worthless if he was to truly gain Christ. In the face of the supremacy of Christ, he regarded all things but "loss for the sake of Christ" (v7).

When Christ enters the arena in our lives, there need to be no competition, for He has no peers. No one is even in second place. He is, and deserves to be, fully supreme. Therefore magnifying Christ in our lives means a total, non-negotiated commitment to His significance.

Living to magnify Christ also means that we reflect His essential nature. Since He is truth, for example, we are truthful. His mercy, justice and compassion, righteousness, love, grace and patience should be clearly evident in all we do. And as people note the unique difference, we readily give to God the credit for what we have and and have become in Him.

Ironically, some Christians, obsessed with their personal significance, when threatened will readily lie to maintain their worth; they will withhold love, mercy, and grace when it conflicts with their sense of significance. This is not kingdom living. To cross the line of righteousness to accumulate or guarantee our significance will always be a competitor with Christ significance through us. It is not until our significance compulsion is satisfied by our applying redemptive realities that we are free to magnify Him even at a loss to ourselves.