If you will excuse this old riddle:

Q: In a bacon and egg breakfast, what is the difference between the chicken and the pig?

A: The chicken is involved, but the pig is sacrificially committed.

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings” Philippians 3v10. This theme of all-out commitment pervades Philippians and particularly this chapter 3 .

What do I most want? What motivates how I spend my time? What gets me excited or feeling happy? Maybe it is peace as I strive to have times of relaxation; maybe it is success as I strive to achieve something; maybe it is to be accepted by others as I strive to gain friendship. It is clear for Paul in the surrounding verses that he was ready to replace his peace with suffering (3v10), his success with loss (3v8), and his acceptance with persecution (1v13) so that he might know Christ.

May the Lord give us such an appreciation of Christ that he comes before anything or anyone else in our lives.

With love and blessing,

Roland