The Ultimate Result of Discerning What’s Best

Scripture — Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Devotion

In recent Life for Leaders devotions, we have seen two compelling results that come when our love and knowledge abound so that we are able “to discern what is best” (1:10). First, we will be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ,” being in this age the best we can be in light of the future. Second, we will be “filled with the fruit of righteousness,” making a difference that matters in this world through the indwelling presence of Christ.

That doesn’t exhaust the results of determining what is best, however. Paul adds one more, one that could be seen as the ultimate result, the most important result of all. What is this result? “The glory and praise of God” (1:11).

If, like me, you’ve spent much of your life as a Christian, then the idea that the final purpose of all things is God’s glory and praise won’t be surprising. “Of course, that’s the point,” we might think to ourselves. But for the Philippian recipients of Paul’s letter, this point might have been surprising, even unsettling. For them, it was profoundly counter-cultural. Allow me to explain why.

Philippi, in Macedonia (today’s northern Greece), was a Roman colony. This means, among other things, that the city mirrored many of the values of Rome itself. One of these core values was honor, which we might call public recognition. The Philippian citizens were motivated to act so as to be held in high esteem by their fellow citizens. They were raised, enculturated, and encouraged to act for their personal glory and praise. This wasn’t considered selfish or prideful. It was thought to be right and essential for their society to flourish.

So, when Paul prays for the Philippians “to discern what is best,” they would naturally have assumed, “and if I do, I will be honored. I will receive glory and praise.” But then Paul ends his prayer with a zinger. The ultimate point isn’t their honor, but God’s honor, God’s glory and praise.

Most of the recipients of Paul’s letter to Philippi had been Gentiles before they became Christians. So, they would not have been familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, which we call the Old Testament. If they had, then they wouldn’t have been surprised by the priority placed on God’s glory and praise. We see this throughout the Old Testament. For example:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Psalm 19:1).

The glory of the LORD fills the whole earth (Numbers 14:21).

Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness (Psalm 115:1).

Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods (Psalm 96:3).

Today, if we know the New Testament in addition to the Old Testament, then we might expect the primacy of God’s praise and glory. This can be found in many passages, including:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).

If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen (1 Pet 4:11).

We, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory (Eph 1:12).

This focus on God’s glory and praise encourages us to consider our deepest motivations in life. Surely, it’s not wrong to be motivated by many things. I worked as a pastor, in part, to support my family and serve the people in my church. I write Life for Leaders devotions because I enjoy digging into biblical truth and helping leaders grow through what I have learned. But every now and then, I need to ask myself, “Am I doing what I do in life ultimately for God’s praise and glory? Or for my own?”

It would be easy for me to pray for the ability “to discern what is best” so that I could do my job well, write with impact, be a good husband, father, and friend, share valuable wisdom with the people I mentor and coach, use well the time I have left in this world, and so forth. But do I really see all this as having ultimate meaning because it contributes to God’s praise and glory?

A woman I know was concerned about a brother in Christ who was struggling financially. So, she decided it would be best to help him and his family. But she did not want them to know who was helping them. Therefore, now and then, she would leave an envelope with several hundred dollars in a safe place where the man could find it. She did this out of love, yes, and in light of knowledge of the man’s situation. I do not doubt that when she stands before the Lord one day, her generosity will be part of her “fruit of righteousness.” And I am also confident that God is doubly pleased by what she did, not only because it was loving and kind, but also because she did not seek her own glory and praise.

Centuries ago, some wise Christians got together to write an authoritative document to guide the church. This document was structured as a series of questions followed by Bible-based answers. The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism was this: “What is the chief end of man?” Today, we might ask, “What is our chief purpose in life?” An updated answer that preserves the intent of the original catechism would be, “Our chief purpose is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” I think the Apostle Paul would give a big thumbs up to this statement. (Credit to ChatGPT for suggesting this language.)

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: God’s Glory is the Ultimate Goal (1 Corinthians 10).