Philippians 3:7-9
“However, what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yes, most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”
Paul, a follower of Jesus, is writing to a community of believers in Philippi. He is encouraging them to live with humility and unity, and here he contrasts his former highly esteemed identity and achievements with his new understanding of what truly matters.
What markers of identity or status do we consider 'gain' today, and how might re-evaluating them change our sense of belonging?