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I brushed my fingers against the cool, rough stone and was overwhelmed. I was touching something that had been handled, hoisted, and hauled by people who walked the earth before Jesus did. I found the Roman Baths in England a wonder to behold. It was stunning to imagine what had happened there 2,000 years ago, on the very stones I walked on.

In this museum, tourists in droves walked past sculpted stone busts of people from Roman history. Since ancient times, partial sculptures of famous people have been created as symbols of remembrance. The rulers and leaders, memorialized in stone in this museum, were once highly esteemed for their contributions to society. I tried to imagine the immense wealth, status, and fame these people must have attained in their lifetimes to receive such an honor.

There was a summary sentence or two near each sculpture to honor these once-powerful and famous people. I noticed, however, that the average present-day museum-goer did not linger in front of the stone memorials. They moved past, in anonymity, these people whose renown is now reduced to a name beside a rock.

What struck me most was that people from that time who were big shots, known to “all,” and important enough in their day to have their likeness carved in stone were, in the present day, known to none and remembered by few. The once elite and impressive are now utterly impotent.

Oh, how fleeting and temporary is the nature of human life! The grass withers and the flowers fall.

In Philippians 3:7-9, the apostle Paul counts all his worldly accomplishments and the things he once valued as worthless compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ. He says in verses 8-9:

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.”

May the Lord give us grace to embrace this God-ward perspective every day.

I love the song “Knowing You” by Graham Kendrick, which captures in song what the Lord, through that museum visit, stirred in my soul. I pray it is an encouragement to you today.

“All I once held dear built my life upon
All this world reveres and wants to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now compared to this

Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You’re my all, You’re the best
You’re my joy, my righteousness
And I love You, Lord”