Is anyone a fan of waiting? I certainly am not. It’s actually one of my least favorite things. Nearly everything around me urges “have it now.” So, for me, the words of Jesus in this passage are doubly challenging. Not only does He invite us to humble ourselves to take the lesser place rather than the high profile one, but also He asks us to resist seeking repayment of kindness now, waiting for repayment in heaven. Both of these concepts are extremely counter-cultural.


Imagine throwing a big party at your home, but rather than sending the invitations to all your friends and family, you hand them out at the nearest rescue mission. Jesus really is that radical in His generosity. Even more so! And praise God that He is for your sake and mine! He compels us to put our hope and trust in Him, gripping less tightly what we have and who we’re willing to share it with. As we do so, He says that we will be blessed – not necessarily materially, but certainly in the way that matters most: belonging to Him!