What Will I Get Out Of It?
Peter began to say to Jesus,
“We have given up everything and followed you.”
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.
But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mk 10:28-31)
“What’s in it for me?”
That seems to be the question that so many people ask on a pretty regular basis.
I’ll do this for you as long as…
I can offer this as long as I get that in return…
If you want me to do something for you…
The conditions and stipulations that we place upon people are often outrageous; yet, without them, we would not help.
Peter revealed that same thought when he told Jesus that they had already given up everything to follow Him. His attitude and statement could very easily be completed by his asking Jesus, “So, what’s in it for us?”
The answer — in typical Jesus fashion — was unpredictable and, for a large part, unwanted.
Jesus indicated that they would get much more than they had given up. Oh yes, did He mention, “and persecutions”?!
It is not always easy following the Lord.
It can be a stressful life.
People can often feel as if they are reaching the breaking point.
That is because we stand with feet firmly rooted on this earth — sinful soil — while we stretch our hands toward the Kingdom of God.
In order to reach that Kingdom, we are going to have to let go of the things that keep us from Him.
Letting go can be painful as well but it is the only way, truly, to be free.
FAITH ACTION: In quiet prayer, in the silence of your heart, abandon yourself completely to the Lord today.