阅读经文 

晚上丈夫和我喜欢坐在屋外，观看星星和寻找星座。月光明亮时，他便拿出他的望远镜；望远镜让我们看到一个拥有较多细节的不同寻常的月亮，它更激发我们对创造主再次发出赞叹。

保罗在狱中写信给腓立比人时，他知道他不能改变自己的境况，然而最重要的是他如何看待自己的处境。保罗透过耶稣给他的滤镜或视角来看他自己的一生。

保罗向自己提出挑战，要去思想他怎样才能最有效地被神使用。他有机会和禁卒交谈、与他们分享耶稣的好消息，他知道他所活出的信心生活更能影响他们。

当然，有时他也会渴望离世、在天上与主同在，然而他下了决心，要过能使别人因他受益的生活。藉着他写的书信和他对待周围人的态度，保罗希望能尊崇基督。保罗视他自己的生命为双赢的生命。若继续留在世上，他便能建立更多教会、鼓励更多门徒、并让更多人认识耶稣，然而离世则表示他能在天上与主一起过丰盛和安息的生活。“无论是生是死，”保罗总希望能够荣耀神。

My husband and I often sit outside at night, looking at the stars and picking out constellations. When the moon is bright, he brings out his telescope, which gives us a different, more detailed look at the moon. It also gives us a renewed appreciation for our Creator.

While Paul sat in prison writing to the Philippians, he knew he couldn't change his circumstances, but what really mattered was the way he looked at his situation. Paul looked at his life through the lens, the perspective, that Jesus had given him.

Paul challenged himself to consider how he could best be used. He could speak to the guards of the prison, sharing the good news of Jesus, and he knew that the way he lived out his faith would affect them.

Sometimes, of course, he longed to go and be with the Lord in heaven, but he was determined to live his life to better the lives of others. Both through his writing and his attitude to the people around him, Paul wanted to honor Christ. Paul saw his life as a win-win. To stay here on earth meant more churches planted, more Christians encouraged, and more people finding Jesus. And to die would mean full life and peace with the Lord in heaven. Paul wanted to glorify God, "whether by life or by death."