What will you gain when you lose?

If you've been trying to lose weight, maybe you should eat more cereal. A Kellogg’s commercial promises you can lose weight eating it. The campaign slogan, “What will you gain when you lose?,” also implies that cereal lovers will gain self-esteem, self-confidence, and the respect of others: standards of measurement in this world.

Before being killed by Auca Indians, missionary Jim Elliott wrote (rather prophetically), “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” A whole generation was inspired by this man who “lost” family, home, and life for Christ.

Even though we too believe our “kingdom is not of this world,” it’s hard not to self-measure by an earthly yardstick. Thus Jesus warns, "Whoever gains his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will gain it" (Matt. 10:39).  And Paul said, “I count all things loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ … For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 3:8; 1:21). For us, the answer to Kellogg's question is Christ. But a more relevant question for us is, What are we willing to lose to gain Him?