UV
3534/10000 The First, the Last and the
Least
So
those who are last (in this world) shall be first ( in the world to come), and
those who are first, last.”
Matthew 20
v 16
God’s standards of
judging, rewarding and recognizing are different from those of this world. Everyone is given salvation who believes and
engages with the kingdom of God to labour for God in this world. This is what God has agreed to give as part
of the new covenant or agreement with man.
He is not going to give less of salvation to someone who joined the
kingdom of God in the last hour of His life and hence, could not serve Him for
long. He is not giving more of salvation
to those who served Him lifelong.
Another dimension of
this uni-verse is that we should not strive for riches or recognition or rewards
of this world. If we are first in this
world, we could end up last in the kingdom of God. Those who go through life unappreciated, not
honoured or recognized may end up being most rewarded in heaven. The Lord will undo any injustice. His ways of judging and rewarding are not
like the way of the world. He judges
the heart of man not his external acts.
The Lord weighs the motive behind our actions, words and thoughts.
God can use a ‘last hour’
worker in His vineyard or kingdom more effectively and with greater impact than
someone who has been toiling all his life for the Lord. It is not our efforts but His grace that
determines the results or rewards. Being
faithful in whatever is given to us to do is the one thing we should focus
on. We should humble ourselves and not
think that by virtue of whatever we have done we are entitled for certain rewards
from God. We should, in fact, that even
if we are the last person in heaven, we would rejoice at that prospect and be
thankful with our lives.
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