Joel M Bradshaw

14Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me..–Philippians 2 (with emphasis)

So much we could unpack here. Let’s just focus on the drink offering perspective of Paul. It’s a humble statement and therefore we are not surprised to find it in Philippians 2 (scroll up to verse 3 in your bibles). What was the drink offering?

 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil. It is a regular burnt offering, which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. (Numbers 28:3-8, with emphasis)

If Paul was cocky, he would have considered his life more like the burnt offering. The burnt offering was the sacrifice that was always on the altar and maintained the slow roasting fire of that all the other daily sacrifices would depend upon. When John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away sin (John 1:29), he was referring to the burnt offering of Leviticus 1).

No, in Paul’s analogy that was the main offering was the faith of the Philippians. That’s what was truly on the altar. Paul’s ministry was the meager drink offering poured out at the very end. When we consider how God used Paul in human and salvation history, this is a statement of profound humility. Paul saw himself and his efforts as the drink offering. His contribution was to make the main offering smell extra good to God like cooking wine deglazing a skillet.

If Paul could have that attitude then you and I should, as well. We are not to think too highly of ourselves and should keep a healthy perspective and attitude of humility in our lives. Celebrate others. Don’t see yourself as the main attraction. Serve without a need for recognition. Deny yourself rather than promote yourself. Make your life about a pleasing aroma to God as a complementary piece of the sacrifice. As always, I have a lot of work to do concerning this.–JMB