The protocol of the kingdom of heaven is quite the opposite: consider others as more important than yourself, give sacrificially and generously, lose your life to find it, and be a good ambassador to the people of the other kingdom.
Jesus gives us a cost-benefit analysis. If we organize our pursuits around our own pleasure, prestige, and power, we’ll live with the nagging fear that we’ll never have enough. We’ll compare ourselves with others, and we’ll believe that we aren’t handsome enough, pretty enough, smart enough, talented enough, or rich enough.
I’m certainly not suggesting that we just cave in and give up our moral positions on the wide range of issues. It’s our responsibility to stand up for justice, righteousness, and kindness, but we stand in the name of Jesus, not in the name of a political party or a political leader. And we trust in Jesus, not the party or the leader, to give us wisdom, direction, and perseverance to fight the good fight.
