Updated Resume

Wednesday, March 13                      Philippians 3:4-14

Donovan Drake

Look at how Paul takes a perfectly good resume, “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; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless,” and calls it “refuse” (Greek translation). It seems the only thing that Paul looks forward to is taking on the sufferings of Christ and becoming like Christ in his death. With that as a future, I hope Paul’s parents didn’t shell out too much money on his education! I’m joking, but Paul was serious. Christ was the only thing worthy of life and death.

Having attended a number of funerals in my life, I think he’s right. I’m struck that the words of the eulogy most often reflect the things we see in Christ. The departed “never had a negative thing to say.” “She was so giving.” “He was the kindest, most generous person you’d ever want to meet.” "She was welcoming to everyone." I hate to talk about death, but Lent is a season where we remember that time’s a-wasting. After all, it begins with the words of Ash Wednesday, “[Remember] you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19b). The words are designed to move us away from working on our resumes of “getting and having,” and instead motivate us to build up a resume based on sacrificial love.

While I have your attention, why not take a moment right now and think about one thing that you can give up? It may be as easy as giving up some of your time to call an old friend and to say “Thank you!” It may be as difficult as not letting that bitterness invade your soul anymore. Engage in the season of Lent! Think seriously about one thing that you can do today that, when you review your action tomorrow, you wouldn’t be able to tell if it were your resume or the resume of Christ Jesus.

Prayer:  Gracious God, thank you for helping me to see that my resume isn’t all that matters.

Daily Challenge: What is one thing you would give up or add on during this season of Lent?