THE PRINCIPLE of NOW & THEN
DAY 29: We are always stressing the importance of getting a good education to our kids. When they were very young the most important thing they could do, we told them, was learn to make their letters. "There is nothing you can't do in life if you learn your alphabet," I would say dramatically.
Later, it was multiplication tables that promised to change their lives. Then learning the presidents, conjugating verbs, and the periodic table. I admit, I never stressed algebra, because let's face it, even a kid knows you are never going to have to find "x" when when "y" is 40 and "z" is 12 billion. But other than that, I tried to impress upon my kids that what they invested now in their education would pay off in later life. The choices they made during their school years, and now in college, have a direct impact on the rest of their lives.
I call it the "Now & Then" principle: what you do now will make a big difference then. The only variable (uh oh, that sounds like Algebra) The only variable is when the "then" will be. Today, as I read Matthew 19, God showed me that he also operates under the "Now & Then" principal.
One day someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good things must I do to have eternal life."
Jesus knew the question was more complicated then it sounded. After all, Jesus hears not only our words, but what is really in our hearts. Jesus could see that this man had a divided heart. What he really wanted to know was "How can I avoid going all in following you?"
To help the man see what was in his own heart Jesus listed off a bunch of rules from the Ten Commandments. The young man, under the delusion that he always followed the rules, said he kept them all perfectly since he was a boy. Doubtful, but Jesus didn't argue the point. He moved on to the real issue the man was struggling with:
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
There it was! The man was willing to do a few things now - but there was a limit. That was the point Jesus was making. He was not telling the man he could "buy" eternal life by selling everything, or by keeping any of the rules he mentioned. He was trying to show that man that he had already decided that he would not put Jesus first if it meant giving up something he valued more NOW- in this case it was his wealth. He didn't understand the "Now & Then" principle. It was a principle the disciples were trusting with their whole hearts. They had been listening intently and asked Jesus what it meant for them.
27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.[k]
The disciples had already chosen to give up anything and everything in their "now" because they already knew that following Jesus meant being with Jesus "then." But Jesus showed them that all of their choices of obedience "now" would also have an impact on "then." Yes eternal life for trusting in Christ, but also "a hundred times as much in return" for those things we give up here when he asks us to so we can follow Him fully.
That's the "Now and Then" principle as it relates to the Kingdom of Heaven. For me, the reminder changes how I view my "sacrifices". Whether I give up time, treasure or talent because God shows me I should, I can do so with no reservations, because every time I follow Him now, it will have an impact then when I see Him face to face.
Is there anything you are holding tight to now that you might regret then?
Share your thoughts in our comment sections and get the conversation started.
Day 29 of 365s with God:
Exodus 8
Exodus 9
Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10
Proverbs 6:1-5
Later, it was multiplication tables that promised to change their lives. Then learning the presidents, conjugating verbs, and the periodic table. I admit, I never stressed algebra, because let's face it, even a kid knows you are never going to have to find "x" when when "y" is 40 and "z" is 12 billion. But other than that, I tried to impress upon my kids that what they invested now in their education would pay off in later life. The choices they made during their school years, and now in college, have a direct impact on the rest of their lives.
One day someone came to Jesus with this question: "Teacher, what good things must I do to have eternal life."
Jesus knew the question was more complicated then it sounded. After all, Jesus hears not only our words, but what is really in our hearts. Jesus could see that this man had a divided heart. What he really wanted to know was "How can I avoid going all in following you?"
To help the man see what was in his own heart Jesus listed off a bunch of rules from the Ten Commandments. The young man, under the delusion that he always followed the rules, said he kept them all perfectly since he was a boy. Doubtful, but Jesus didn't argue the point. He moved on to the real issue the man was struggling with:
21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
There it was! The man was willing to do a few things now - but there was a limit. That was the point Jesus was making. He was not telling the man he could "buy" eternal life by selling everything, or by keeping any of the rules he mentioned. He was trying to show that man that he had already decided that he would not put Jesus first if it meant giving up something he valued more NOW- in this case it was his wealth. He didn't understand the "Now & Then" principle. It was a principle the disciples were trusting with their whole hearts. They had been listening intently and asked Jesus what it meant for them.
27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.[k]
The disciples had already chosen to give up anything and everything in their "now" because they already knew that following Jesus meant being with Jesus "then." But Jesus showed them that all of their choices of obedience "now" would also have an impact on "then." Yes eternal life for trusting in Christ, but also "a hundred times as much in return" for those things we give up here when he asks us to so we can follow Him fully.
That's the "Now and Then" principle as it relates to the Kingdom of Heaven. For me, the reminder changes how I view my "sacrifices". Whether I give up time, treasure or talent because God shows me I should, I can do so with no reservations, because every time I follow Him now, it will have an impact then when I see Him face to face.
Is there anything you are holding tight to now that you might regret then?
Share your thoughts in our comment sections and get the conversation started.
Day 29 of 365s with God:
Exodus 8
Exodus 9
Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10
Proverbs 6:1-5
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