John 12.26 instructs, if any of you wants to serve Me, then follow Me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves Me. MSG

The invitation seems unconditional, optional, as though we are free to take it or ignore it. Indeed, we certainly live this way. Most ignore the invitation, like the people of Jesus’ day, they see Him when He comes to town, like the circus, otherwise they go about their own business each day.

We cannot follow Jesus without leaving behind the things of this world. The pursuit of pleasure, possessions and power are in direct competition with the freedom we need to pursue building God’s kingdom upon earth as it is in heaven. We cannot love God and love money for we can only serve one master. Certainly, we must work to provide our needs but in working as God’s servant we are seeking to lead others into the kingdom of God.

We identify with Jesus unashamedly when His kingdom is our priority. We reject that which works against the building of His kingdom when asked to do so by men. We do not participate in promoting by our time or treasure those ideas, policies or programs that conflict with the will of God as recorded in the Word of God.

If we do what men want and esteem we will be rewarded by men. If we do what God wants and esteems we will be rewarded by God. Whose reward are we seeking? Which reward matters most and will last the longest? We decide these things by who we follow and what we do now.