I used to make this ham quiche that was pretty good. And I mean “good” as in “people who don’t like quiche loved this quiche” kind of good. (My secret, of course, was the copious amount of cheese.)
I would make it for gatherings and parties we would regularly host. I was a decent hostess, too. I could tell who needed the extra hug and which of my introverted friends needed to be asked to run and grab ice, even if our ice bin was full, just so they could get a moment alone.
I loved the sense of accomplishment I felt at the end of a party. Taking care of people and meeting needs, whether through a Spirit-filled chat or a great quiche, were just a couple ways I counted successes. I carefully managed an imaginary score chart of my “Successful Woman” points. Almost anything could gain these points, but the things that I could place under “loving my neighbor” always racked up points the fastest.
The Apostle Paul had a list of accomplishments, too, and he named them in the book of Phillippians.
“Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5–6 ESV).
My list of accomplishments is quite different than Paul’s, but I like to think he would’ve eaten my quiche, ham and all.
WHAT GOOD ARE MY SUCCESSES?
Now that I live in Japan, my quiche just isn’t the same. The cheese melts differently and I can’t host parties like I used to. More troubling, though, is that my Successful Woman points don’t accumulate the same! I can’t gain these precious imaginary points the way I used to. Living abroad, I’m out of my depth in most areas of life. I can’t even get “Successful Woman” points for doing simple things like sorting and taking out the trash, correctly packing my kids’ bags for school, or even communicating well—whether in my mother tongue or another language!
But I desperately want the sense of accomplishment that comes with a tidy house and a completed to-do list. I need my precious Successful Woman points. If I have enough of those success points I can… umm. Let me think for a second… Gosh, what can I do with all my accomplishments?
Let’s see what Paul did with his.
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:7–9).
This rubbish he mentions is not just any kind of rubbish, mind you. A quick word study will show it’s the sort of rubbish that belongs in toilets and it has a name you can’t use in G-rated movies. Paul considered all of his successes as utterly worthless and repulsive. Why is he using such strong language? He is comparing the worth of all things to the worth of knowing Christ.
Do I? Do you?
Who cares if I know how to make a good quiche if I don’t know Christ?
Who cares if I gain every single Successful Woman point if I haven’t gained Christ?
Who cares if I find longevity on the field if I won’t be found in Christ?
HOW GOOD IS CHRIST!
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10–11).
But I do have Christ.
And so do you if you call him King.
Oh, that we would long after Christ more than our own successes.
As a woman, mother, friend, and daughter, I spend hours of time, acres of mental space, and so very much energy on pursuing my own success.
Do I want so badly to know Christ?
How did Paul come to see the reality of the worthlessness of his accomplishments?
By knowing Christ.
How did Paul suffer deep loss with an even deeper hope?
By knowing Christ.
Oh, that we would sit here for a moment and savor Christ and his words deeply. That we would know him. May we begin to recognize his glory and our need for him. Even as I write, I can feel the knots in my back easing up at the freedom in this knowledge.
Holy Spirit, help us to want to know Christ. We need you to show us his worth and teach us about him. Help our unbelief. Amen.
Help me out, here. In what ways have you been able to deeply know Christ? Do you have habits or routines that help? Are there particular prayers or relationships that help you treasure Christ? Let’s meet in the comments and encourage each other to seek and find the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ.
So good. Thank you.