When Jesus heard that a group of Greeks wanted to meet with Him, it reminded Him that His mission was reaching its final stage. “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
The glory we know is a far cry from how Jesus explains it. “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
I think we can all admit that it’s hard for us humans to embrace glory in death. Think about the times we didn’t want to see the doctor when we’re sick or when we cry at the death of a loved one. What is so glorious about death?
Jesus wants us to know that the purpose of His coming to this world was to be buried. Jesus came to die to pay for our sins. But death would not be the end of His existence. Just as a seed that is buried sprouts and grows into a tree, so Jesus would come back to life and bear fruit, eternal life for all those who believe in Him.
Therefore, His death on the cross was not a defeat; it was essential in fulfilling His mission. The death of a believer is not the end. Our life in God’s presence has just begun.
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
How does this verse apply to our life? What we need to understand in this passage is that God is not telling us to enjoy life or make it worth living. We are not to turn our backs on God’s goodness to us. Remember what Jesus said, that He came that we may have light and life more abundantly.
Let us not take it literally to hate our life in this world so we may keep it forever. It simply means we do not allow anything we do to keep or hinder us from being committed believers. To motivate ourselves to do something good for someone even if we don’t feel like it. To go out of our way just to ensure that someone is doing okay.
Simple acts of kindness and compassion interspersed as we live the day.
If we want to find glory, we don’t look where the world looks. The world thinks that money, a stable, high-paying job and good looks are glorious. These things only give us fading glory.
We keep up with the chase of a better house, a better job, a nicer car, things that we feel can make a glorious life. The life we have now is only a seed for the eternal life God has intended for us to have.
Real glory comes from serving God and one another, as Jesus says. Knowing that our purpose in life is to serve God moves us to pray that His name be glorified in all that we say and do.