When we foolishly think our single piece of a much larger puzzle offers a complete and accurate interpretation of reality and what will take place in the future, God will surprise us. We are like people sitting together with friends who don’t have the puzzle box cover that reveals the final image of a completed puzzle. We can give off the short-sighted impression that we have figured out the meaning and interpretation of a much large puzzle whose image is still developing. In our over-confidence, we can boastfully attempt to convince others that our single piece is most important.

Paul wrote to the Philippians about what he boasted about. “We who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).  The word “flesh” in this verse is interpreted as “carnally minded.” This means to form boastful opinions based on earthly, prideful, and flesh-focused evidence, not revelations from the throne of God.

The opinions we too quickly boast about put our single piece in jeopardy of a proper placement – a placement that requires patience until the rest of the puzzle begins to take shape and a humility that does not elevate our single piece to a higher status than the rest of the pieces that will eventually complete the image.

Paul went to the bottom line on this issue. “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Moreover, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” (3:7-8).

All our gains of position, notoriety, and acceptance if they are based on the elevation and boastful promotion of our single opinion will someday be revealed as nothing more than carnal thinking dressed up in religious garb. We who make up the Church sit around a large table of fellowship. Each one of us holds a single piece of developing image. No one piece is more valuable that the other. God will surprise all of us someday when all the pieces of the puzzle are in their proper place and the final image is revealed.