Trophies

I used to have a lot of trophies back when trophies really meant something. No offense to anyone, but my 4½-year old son just received a trophy for playing “soccer” for six weeks – catch my drift? Trophies these days seem a dime a dozen. Nevertheless, as a child and teenager, I proudly showcased these icons in my room as symbols of my great accomplishments in softball and soccer. I even displayed my very first trophy – first place in a bicycle rodeo at the age of five! One day, after I had grown up, moved out of the house, and gotten married, my parents brought me boxes of things from my room in their house, including a box filled with my trophies. As I sifted through the box, I enjoyed reliving some of those moments when I received the trophies – the bike rodeo – they announced my name as the winner, but I didn’t believe that it was me – it took awhile before I went forward to receive my trophy; the soccer championship where it had poured down rain – I had something to do with the winning goal – can’t remember exactly; and the softball championship where I sat out because my brother accidentally hit me in the head with a pick axe, digging a hole in our backyard (another story altogether) – how could they win without their starting pitcher?!?! (Well, they did.) But what would I do with these trophies now? Great memories reminding me how much I enjoyed sports, but really, they had no significance in my life now. I ended up throwing them all away … except for my very first trophy from the bike rodeo. I understood, in that moment, that it didn’t matter. So what if my shelves were filled with trophies – it doesn’t matter to God, and after growing up some, it didn’t matter to me.

The apostle Paul had a lot of “trophies” to display – things that he considered important. Then he met Jesus and all those things became worthless – they were no longer of value to him. He even went to the extent of calling them garbage, rubbish! As we know Jesus and are in relationship with Him, we begin to realize, along with Paul, what really matters – it’s not what you’ve accomplished in your lifetime; it’s not your occupation; it’s not your wall full of educational degrees; it’s not all the wealth you’ve accumulated; it’s not your heritage; it’s not your ability to live a moral life; it’s not about sacrifice or service or charitable deeds. It IS, however, about Jesus and what HE has accomplished. Instead of valuing what the world values, we value Christ and what is ours because of His work. And, friend, we gain so much more than we ever lost. As we put our faith in Christ alone and not in our self-righteousness, we gain a relationship with Christ. Because of our faith in Him, we can know Him, experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead, learn what it means to suffer with Him, and somehow experience the resurrection from the dead. I don’t understand the breadth and depth of all of that, but I long for Him and His fullness.

Are you still clinging to any of your trophies – your abilities, skills, strengths, accomplishments, etc. – as a means of giving you self-worth? For me, this is a major challenge. Carl has often told me that my identity seems to be wrapped up in what I do rather than in Christ. And as I read this passage and studied it a little, I realized that yes – there are trophies that I’m clinging to. Instead of experiencing the fullness of Christ, I’m leaning on my own abilities and whatnot to get me through the day. I could be and have so much more – all that Christ offers – if I would just surrender these things! Further, I don’t believe it’s a one-time sacrifice, but a daily – even moment-by-moment surrender. At least that is the case for me.

May God be merciful and gracious to us as we surrender ourselves and encounter His fullness. Give me more of Jesus!