I’m Nobody! Who Are You? 无名之辈

[Dexu Xia]

I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . that I may gain Christ and be found in him. Philippians 3:8–9

In a poem that begins, “I’m nobody! Who are you?” Emily Dickinson playfully challenges all the effort people tend to put into being “somebody,” advocating instead for the joyful freedom of blissful anonymity. For “How dreary – to be – Somebody! How public – like a Frog – / To tell one’s name – the livelong June / To an admiring Bog!”

Finding freedom in letting go of the need to be “somebody” in some ways echoes the testimony of the apostle Paul. Before he met Christ, Paul had a long list of seemingly impressive religious credentials, apparent “reasons to put confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:4).

But encountering Jesus changed everything. When Paul saw how hollow his religious achievements were in light of Christ’s sacrificial love, he confessed, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord . . . . I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (v. 8). His only remaining ambition was “to know Christ . . . the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (v. 10).

It’s dreary, indeed, to attempt on our own to become “somebody.” But, to know Jesus, to lose ourselves in His self-giving love and life, is to find ourselves again (v. 9), finally free and whole.

By:  Monica La Rose

When have you experienced freedom from seeking self-worth in achievement or from others? How can finding yourself “in Christ” free you from both pride and self-rejection?

Loving God, thank You that I don’t need to try to be “somebody” to be loved and accepted by You.

我也将万事当作有损的，因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。⋯⋯为要得着基督，并且得以在祂里面。—腓立比书3章8-9节

在美国诗人艾米莉·狄金森（Emily Dickinson）的一首诗中，一开头就说：“我是无名之辈，你是谁？”她俏皮地点出人们为了“出名”所付出的一切努力，借此宣扬有福的无名之辈拥有的喜乐与自由。诗中说：“做个名人多无聊！像只青蛙尽招摇；炎热漫长六月天，对仰慕的臭泥沼，炫耀自己的名号！”。

放下成为“名人”的欲望而得自由，在某种程度上，呼应了使徒保罗的见证。在遇见基督以前，保罗已拥有令人称羡的身分和资历，他大可炫耀自身的条件（腓立比书3章4节）。

然而，保罗与耶稣相遇之后，一切都改变了！当保罗明白基督牺牲的爱，便发现自己原有的宗教地位和成就都是空虚的，他承认说：“我也将万事当作有损的，因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。我为祂已经丢弃万事，……为要得着基督”（8节）。他唯一的深切期盼，就是“认识基督，晓得祂复活的大能，并且晓得和祂一同受苦，效法祂的死”（10节）。

的确，试图靠自己成为一个“名人”是无聊的。然而，当我们认识耶稣，在祂牺牲的爱与生命中放下自己，才能再次找到自己（9节），最终获得自由和完整。

作者：  白茉妮

你何时不再从个人成就或别人的肯定中，
寻求自我价值？你如何在基督里找到自己，
摆脱骄傲与自我否定？

慈爱的上帝，我不必成为什么名人，
就能得到祢的爱和接纳，我为此感谢祢。