God’s Valuation Perspective
It is hard for me to see God’s perspective when the details of my own struggles are all up in my face. In the middle of a crisis or struggle, it’s hard to see anything else. It’s hard to think of anything else. I am still learning to pay attention to my perspective. It really matters how I see things in order to navigate them. I must remember that I’m never alone.
Peter has just declared that Jesus is the Messiah and as Jesus tells them about what is ahead, they are confused and concerned. Check this out….
31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.
33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. 36 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul? (Mark 8:31-37 NLT)
I place value on my house, car, clothing and other possessions.
I place value on having money in my bank account or wallet.
Everything I can see or touch is temporary and NOT eternal. I think Jesus is trying to help His followers (and me) to see that this life is preparatory to eternal life that is to come. After all, this is the “land of the dying, but we’re going to the land of the living”. I’m reminded that the death rate here is 100% – we all die. I want to make my life count for eternity. I want to remain clear on God’s valuation method. I want hold tightly to my faith and loosely hold things that are of this world. I want to continually surrender to His call upon my heart to serve other for His Kingdom’s sake. I want to walk in the way He calls me to walk. I want to live the way He calls me to live. I want to keep my eye on eternity as I honor Him and live for Him in the here and now.
Pressing On!
Dwayne