My Amazon wish list is a moderately geeky compilation of cooking and sewing books and a mixing bowl. Big dreams.

My Life-Wish-List, on the other hand, is better reflected by the boards I have on Pinterest. Part of that dream involves owning a French bulldog. And a slightly bohemian coastal-style home. Martha Stewart has a lot to answer for.

As we’ve been working through the letter to the Philippians I’ve been reminded how many upside down verses there are in this small book. That is, verses which, if we really grasped them would turn our world upside down, and make us radically re-evaluate life.

One of those verses came up on Sunday:

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)

In this verse Paul moves on from talking about things he can put his confidence in for righteousness, and expands the idea to everything. All things. Anything you can think of. He says all those things are loss, or nothing, compared to how valuable it is knowing Jesus.

Not the surpassing worth of what Jesus can do for me. Or the surpassing worth of what Jesus gives me.

It’s the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord.

Paul is saying that having Jesus as King, and knowing him this way, is more valuable than all that the world has to offer.

I find this incredibly helpful when I’m having a moment of self pity about the things that I don’t have (and wish I did). That Pinterest worthy Wish-List of concerns (which, if I’m honest,  is more substantial than puppies and sofas) can look appealing and valuable. This verse reminds me, however, that even if I was given them, Paul would expect them to go in the ‘loss’ column. That’s because they are nothing compared to the extraordinary value of knowing Jesus and having him as the managing director of Project Amy.

Thinking about my Wish-List this way helps me turn my internal gaze away from the things I hope for and towards the person I already have – Jesus Christ. It helps me value the time I spend knowing him better and listening to his Word. It helps me want to know him, and want to have him in charge.