We do it for the long term. Things like education (internship, college, university), healthcare (going to the dentist, for example), saving money/paying our tithe, eating well, exercising, etc., etc. Each of these is not necessarily pleasant in the moment, but each has a future payoff. It is so good when you have a trusted someone who is able to act as your long term guide, one who sees the future benefits as worth all the ‘now’ sacrifices, all the delayed gratifications, one who can stand beside you and be for you a source of encouragement. And this special person can do all this because he/she can see the future you, the you that you will be, the you that you perhaps cannot now see. Think: a teacher who wrote life-changing encouragement on a paper you turned in, a neighbor who accepted you as you were, the pastor who took time to listen to you and point you to a good university in Virginia (for example), the professor who challenged you to take a step of obedience and buy the airfare for France (for another example).
I think it’s fair to say Jesus saw the future for his disciple. I mean, we know he prophesied the future for Peter and for John (John 21). He could look straight at all that wasn’t in the present, and confidently continue viewing their future, fleshed out capabilities. This left him undisturbed at their growth needs, their maturity needs, their faith needs. All the ‘smoldering wicks’ around him were no cause for concern. He wasn’t at all concerned that they would fail. His royal authority buoyed him up, filling him with joy, filling him with pride in them all.
Can you receive Jesus’ pride in you? Do you know you fill him with joy? Do you know that none of your failures, none of your past, none of your current ‘heart’ conditions scare him? And why would it? He has all authority in heaven and on earth to press in, to carry his design to fruitful completion! In his eyes, you are a work of (completed, priceless) art! PD
