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. — Philippians 3:8
It was called the Carolina Emperor. It was found not far from my hometown in North Carolina and was one of the largest emeralds ever found. It was worth millions. I remember how it was described as rare, precious, and unique. It was quite the site when I saw it on display.
It’s quite funny the value and price we put on things. Some people viewed that emerald as something worth millions. To me, it was a rock. On the opposite hand, there are things that I value in my life that others consider worthless as well. Each of us can think of things that we place significant value on which in the eyes of others may be seen as worthless.
In writing to the Philippians, Paul certainly seemed to be talking about the value of things. He said that all the things that were in his life were as “dung.” The things were trash and they were all worthless, but only when compared with that thing which was priceless.
What was so priceless and so amazing that everything else in life was worthless? Just the fact that he knew Jesus! Just knowing Jesus was worth more than anything this world had to offer. It was worth far more than all the things that he could compare it to in this world.
Do we value our relationship with Jesus at that level? Is He worth more than everything else in this world to us? When Paul compared knowing Jesus to all the riches that this world had to offer, he said nothing was better than Jesus. Do we feel the same way? Our prayer and our desire should be that we become so in love with Jesus that nothing comes close to Him in our eyes.