“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.” – Philippians 1:21-26 KJV
When Paul had discovered what he was meant to do with his life he made every effort to answer to that calling. He wasn’t concerned about living lavishly or prospering in this world. Instead, his thoughts were fixed on serving Jesus Christ. This, of course, resulted in him ministering to the needs of many, and thus he always walked with Jesus. Moreover he didn’t complain about problematic circumstances, such as being a prisoner, but rejoiced in the truth, knowing that Jesus was using him as an instrument of righteousness to help others prosper in a godly way. Hence he could say “to live is Christ” because Jesus Christ was at the center of His life.
When I think of Paul as a prisoner I can’t help but think about how uncomfortable it must have been to be subjected to such a lifestyle. It would certainly be easy to think of personal needs and the lack thereof under such circumstances. Yet Paul was more concerned about others than he was with himself, and found comfort in reflecting on doing that which was needful for all, as he served Jesus Christ. And herein lies a very important point. Paul occupied a small place in this world while he was a prisoner (prison cells aren’t very large); yet what he had accomplished through Jesus Christ had far-reaching effects. For it was while he was in prison that he wrote his letter to the Philippians. And here we are, benefiting from something that was written within the confines of a prison cell, almost 2000 years ago. I wonder if Paul ever thought about how many people would be reached for Christ with that letter. I imagine that it must be in the billions by now!
Do you think that you would have had it in you to express such love for Jesus Christ and His people under similar circumstances? What are you doing in the space that you’re occupying? Are you making the best of your situation? Listen, you might not be in what many would consider to be a desirable position in life, but if you’re busy seeking to meet the needs of others through Jesus Christ, then you’re making good use of the space that you’re occupying.
It’s likely that there were a lot of people who thought of Paul as having been a failure because he was behind bars for his faith. Yet his life was a complete success, not because he was without flaws, but because he walked with and relied on the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And this raises yet another important point to consider. Those who posses little in this world are often perceived as being less fortunate than those who have much. Yet many who have more than they do actually have less, because they don’t know Jesus Christ. Of course, the lesson that this teaches us is that it’s not as important to have many possessions as it is to know what constitutes true wealth. For even in the worst of conditions a man who seeks first God’s kingdom and His righteousness can be more productive than an army of people who have the wrong focus on life. Indeed, there’s no greater wealth than in knowing Jesus Christ, and no work is as productive as that which pertains to leading people to Him.
So, I ask again; what are you doing in the space that you’re occupying? What does your life really say about Jesus? What kind of letter are you writing to the world? May God give us discernment to see what’s really in our hearts and what matters most in life, as well as a desire to make good use of the space that we’re occupying, that we, like Paul, might say “to live is Christ”, and really mean it!