Profit

Search deep and long in human history and you find profit motive as one of the most driving forces in the human race. Cost-benefit is so deeply ingrained in us that I'd argue we make most of our decisions on this constant -though little considered point.

I mean, why put so much effort into anything that doesn't directly benefit us, get our endorphins rushing to bloom and negative cortisol squelched, right?

Except I'd further argue that the God of the Bible takes the long (heh... eternally so!) view of results of choices. We are often far more right-here-right-now in our thinking and doing.

Consider the writer of Hebrew's statement about the Lord:

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." -Heb. 12.2

Jesus clearly took the long view into account -and the cross was no small matter. Total rejection of Him, set-up by mockers, liars jealous of the respect He was being given by the common people, His closest friends running off when He was arrested, His hand-picked leader denying Him 3 times as He was on trial for His human life, kangaroo court trial and execution on factually false charges, tortured to the extent He was near-unrecognizable, crucified between 2 thieves as a common criminal. I'd say "the cross" makes things incredibly difficult to see the benefit of it all until Easter morning and an empty tomb.

Jesus took the eternally long view of cost-benefit, and then the amazing grace punchline: His cost, OUR benefit was and is His motive.

In this world the profiteers focus on self and thus advancing their "brand". He focuses on the will of the Father which is for -our- benefit regardless of cost.

He was hardcore brutally honest about the cost of following Him (see John chapter 15 for details) but also the benefits: the love and grace of God and eternal life to "whosoever will, let them come".

May God deliver us from... us.

May we learn to trust in Him above and beyond ourselves and the immediate, seeming benefits of what God's Word lists as sin, deception and immediate gratification.

Believe me, I'm preaching to myself as well as all who read these words!

Praise God for His compassion and the grace to trust and walk with and in Him and it!

And as always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn