Given Much

Do you see the cup half-empty or half-full?

When 12 spies went to check out the land of Canaan, most of them were half-empty guys. They came back with a fearful report: “Yes, the land flows with milk and honey, but there are giants in the land and we could never overcome them.” Only Joshua and Caleb saw the glass half-full and urged their fellow Hebrews to move forward in faith.

I’m guessing that when Jesus first met them, most of the 12 apostles were “half-empty” guys. They argued about who was the greatest and vied for the best seats next to Jesus. They struggled to understand his teachings, tried to shoo away little children Jesus wanted to bless, fell asleep when he prayed in the Garden, and scattered in terror when he died on the cross.

Meanwhile, they kept track of the personal sacrifices they made for Jesus’ sake. After watching the rich young ruler walk away because of his great wealth, Peter congratulated himself for doing better and told Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28).

Can you relate to Peter’s comment? Do you feel like you have given up a lot to follow Christ? In the seclusion of your own heart, do you ever privately review all the sacrifices you have made? “I work so hard. I’ve given up so much, and no one seems to notice. My family doesn’t appreciate me. I’m taken for granted at work. The people in this church don’t realize everything I do for them.”

Jesus didn’t deny the extent of Peter’s dedication, but he reminded his hard-headed friend that followers of Christ receive far more than we ever give up. “‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life’” (Mark 10:29-30).

What’s in it for you if you follow Jesus? More blessings than you can calculate and a spiritual family bigger than you can imagine—“and with them, persecutions.” Hardships are here to stay on this side of “the age to come,” but our present sufferings are small potatoes compared to the eternal glories ahead.

Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). The vast majority of American Christians have been “entrusted with much.” Has he given us abundant food and water? Has he blessed us with the opportunity to get an education? The freedom to travel, to worship, to express ourselves? Has he placed others in our path who are willing to be our friends and some who will be our mentors? Have we heard the gospel in a language our mind can comprehend and our heart can embrace?

Then let’s consider ourselves greatly blessed, and be grateful. God has given us much. Our cup isn’t half-full; it’s overflowing.

An Arab proverb says, “On the day of victory no one is tired.” And on the day of sacrifice no one should complain, for God has already given us far more than we deserve.