One of the best parts of the FIFA World Cup has been games hosted in the United States. It has been a joy watching people from other nations come to the US and be enamored by our culture and country. Visitors admire many things we take for granted, like Costco and cornfields. They are amazed by the gorgeous scenery and gigantic gas stations. These travelers have even influenced federal agencies, as TSA has even presented guidance for visitors to not pack ranch dressing in their carry-on luggage.
It is easy to forget the blessings of where you reside. Sometimes all we can focus on is the negative, or at least that’s what lies freshest in our memories. We think of crime and politics, while visitors get to experience all of the beauty without knowing the downsides. Some will note that visitors get to see the best; they don’t have to experience life here every day.
As Christians, we can also focus on the downsides. You might be thinking, “What are the downsides?” Jesus knows that there will always be hardships and challenges.
Mat 5:10-11 – “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Mat 10:35-36 – “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”
There are difficult choices to follow Christ. Many will see this as a high price to pay, perhaps too high. We can imagine that living opposed to the ways of this world is too much to ask. As Christians, we can focus on the negative side and feel that choosing between Jesus and family is a choice we don’t want to make. It is easy to focus on the negative. However, we should rather focus on the blessings that follow these difficult choices. Jesus tells us what those blessings are.
Matthew 5:12 – “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 10:39 – “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Like visitors in this great world, we live in a kingdom that is far different than this one, one that is known for its rewards rather than for the problems that abound around us. We also know that as we follow Christ, there are some amazing upsides worth focusing on.
Philippians 4:7 – “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 3:19 – “and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
1 Peter 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…”
Even as visitors, we are given the best experience. Sometimes we need to remember the things that knowing Jesus brings, peace that passes understanding, love beyond comprehension, a living hope of an inheritance that is imperishable and unfading. Just like any endeavor, following Christ has positives and negatives; we should focus on the positive, knowing that the beauty of Christ far surpasses any choice we make while we live here.