Thursday, September 14, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading 
John 12:20–26

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew, then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. (NRSV)

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Reflection
Jesus says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.” It is sobering to consider that following Jesus may lead us to places that feel like low-yield fields of futility and prairies of unanswered prayer. If one sows and another reaps (John 4:37), sowers may fulfill God’s calling without ever having much to show for it in this world.

Following Jesus can be hard when Jesus’ way isn’t aligned with strategic directions derived from predictive analytics, principles of optimization, and key performance metrics. It’s challenging to count the very real opportunity costs that denominate the “delta” between the way of faith and the way of the world — while equally real (yet potentially posthumous) returns must be taken on faith.

In a world dominated by performance-based thinking, in which anything and everything is to be measured and ranked, falling into the earth and dying can mean burying our socially constructed selves.

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Prayer
Dear God, thank you for promising to complete the good work you began in us. Please give us eyes to see, grace to choose, and strength of spirit to invest in the better portion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Written by Jeanette Chung, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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