Uniting Heaven and Earth
Christ in Philippians and Colossians
Lesson 6 - Tuesday
The Things That Matter
Although we rarely like to admit it, every human being lives with a kind of spiritual ledger. Consciously or unconsciously, we keep track of what we believe gives our lives value—our achievements, beliefs, habits, failures, and successes. This ledger shapes how we see ourselves and how we think God sees us. In Philippians 3, Paul reflects honestly on his own ledger and admits that, for much of his life, it was measured by the wrong standard.
Paul’s earlier accounting system was shaped by the Jewish values of his time rather than by the deeper, heart-centered values Jesus taught. His confidence rested in heritage, rule-keeping, reputation, and religious status. By those measures, his ledger was full and impressive. Yet when Paul encountered Christ, he realized that what he once counted as gain was actually loss. His spiritual math was wrong because the measuring stick was wrong. True value, he discovered, is not found in outward credentials but in knowing Christ and being found in Him.
John 9 gives us a living illustration of this principle. A man born blind encounters Jesus and receives not only physical sight but spiritual clarity. In contrast, the religious leaders—those who believed they saw clearly—remain blind to who Jesus truly is. Jesus explains this reversal with piercing honesty: He came so that those who do not see may see, and those who think they see may become blind. The issue is not intelligence, education, or religious involvement; it is humility and openness to truth. Those who know they are blind are ready to receive sight. Those convinced of their own vision resist it.
This principle applies directly to our own lives. Like Paul and the Pharisees, we can become blind without realizing it. The world trains us to value success, productivity, recognition, comfort, and control. Over time, these values can quietly reshape our spiritual ledger. We may begin to measure faithfulness by activity, worth by achievement, and spirituality by comparison with others. In doing so, we risk missing Jesus standing right in front of us.
Spiritual blindness often looks like confidence. We assume we see clearly because we are experienced, informed, or morally consistent. Yet true sight begins with acknowledging our limits. The man in John 9 did not argue theology; he simply testified to what Jesus had done for him. His clarity came from dependence, not self-assurance. Likewise, Paul’s vision sharpened when he surrendered his old standards and allowed Christ to redefine what mattered most.
The key to keeping our eyes focused on what truly matters is continual surrender to Christ and His Word. We must allow Jesus to challenge our assumptions, recalibrate our values, and rewrite our ledger. This happens as we remain rooted in Scripture, sensitive to the Spirit, and honest about our need for grace. When Christ becomes the center, lesser things lose their grip, and eternal priorities come into focus.
Seeing clearly is not a one-time event; it is a daily choice. Each day, we decide whether we will measure life by the world’s values or by the truth revealed in Jesus. When we choose Christ, our vision sharpens, our ledger changes, and our lives begin to reflect what truly matters.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
We confess that we often measure our lives by the wrong standards. Open our eyes to see what truly matters and reveal where the world has shaped our values more than Your truth. Remove every form of spiritual blindness born of pride, fear, or distraction. Teach us to keep our eyes fixed on You, to value what You value, and to live each day with eternity in view. Rewrite our spiritual ledger by Your grace, and help us to walk in humble, grateful obedience.
Amen.
More on Lesson 6 Confidence Only in Christ
This Quarter's Sabbath School Lessons Here: Christ in Philippians and Colossians
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