"But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." -- Matt. 19:30 NIV
Just because you've left all to follow Jesus and have made a huge impact on the world because of your sacrifice does not mean that you will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. When we come into the fulness of the Kingdom, after this life is over, after all the veils are lifted, when we will all know each other "even as we are known," there will be a woman or a man in the highest place of honor that none of us have ever heard of. She/he will be a person who gave up everything to follow Jesus and ended up in some obscure role, perhaps in some obscure corner of the world, pouring out her/his very life for another in response to the calling of the Father. We will all stand in utter humility in the presence of this most highly favored believer who followed Jesus into the glory of his suffering, and now into the exaltation of his presence. That is the reality of the upside down Kingdom.
Just because you've left all to follow Jesus and have made a huge impact on the world because of your sacrifice does not mean that you will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. When we come into the fulness of the Kingdom, after this life is over, after all the veils are lifted, when we will all know each other "even as we are known," there will be a woman or a man in the highest place of honor that none of us have ever heard of. She/he will be a person who gave up everything to follow Jesus and ended up in some obscure role, perhaps in some obscure corner of the world, pouring out her/his very life for another in response to the calling of the Father. We will all stand in utter humility in the presence of this most highly favored believer who followed Jesus into the glory of his suffering, and now into the exaltation of his presence. That is the reality of the upside down Kingdom.
