Philippians 3:2-12
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh![a] 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God[b] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— 4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,[c] the righteousness from God based on faith.
Overconfidence is something I’m well-acquainted with. When we partook in Feldschiessen (the Swiss National Shooting Competition), I hit two bullseyes in a row and then got cocky… I missed the other shots and didn’t get a Kranz (a little medal in the shape of a wreath or crown). When I feel like I can wing something (a presentation, not a bird), I inevitably flounder. When I procrastinate, figuring I’ll use the last-minute adrenaline to propel me over the finish-line, I trip and fall and lie holding my twisted ankle and yelling at the sky because I know I should have started earlier since I do this every single time. So, yes, I have confidence, often too much, and often in the wrong things.
Does that go for faith? Probably. I’m not counting on the Indulgence on the wall to get me into heaven, but I do tend to think that all of this fire-and-brimstone preaching isn’t really meant for me… it’s probably aimed at someone across the aisle from me, or sitting in the back pew. But that’s what Lent is for – to examine one’s strengths, one’s weaknesses, and one’s falling-short-of-the-glory-of-God. A couple of bullseyes are a great start, but the trial is long… and as James says in Chapter 1 verse 12 (which I totally knew off the top of my head and certainly didn’t have to use the internet for), you have to stand the test before you get the crown.
(James 1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord[d] has promised to those who love him.)
— MeganPrestonMeyer
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh![a] 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God[b] and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh— 4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ,[c] the righteousness from God based on faith.
Overconfidence is something I’m well-acquainted with. When we partook in Feldschiessen (the Swiss National Shooting Competition), I hit two bullseyes in a row and then got cocky… I missed the other shots and didn’t get a Kranz (a little medal in the shape of a wreath or crown). When I feel like I can wing something (a presentation, not a bird), I inevitably flounder. When I procrastinate, figuring I’ll use the last-minute adrenaline to propel me over the finish-line, I trip and fall and lie holding my twisted ankle and yelling at the sky because I know I should have started earlier since I do this every single time. So, yes, I have confidence, often too much, and often in the wrong things.
Does that go for faith? Probably. I’m not counting on the Indulgence on the wall to get me into heaven, but I do tend to think that all of this fire-and-brimstone preaching isn’t really meant for me… it’s probably aimed at someone across the aisle from me, or sitting in the back pew. But that’s what Lent is for – to examine one’s strengths, one’s weaknesses, and one’s falling-short-of-the-glory-of-God. A couple of bullseyes are a great start, but the trial is long… and as James says in Chapter 1 verse 12 (which I totally knew off the top of my head and certainly didn’t have to use the internet for), you have to stand the test before you get the crown.
(James 1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord[d] has promised to those who love him.)
— MeganPrestonMeyer
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