The Half-Wit And The Kingdom Of God

TheDiscipleMD

“A man owned a small farm in Indiana. The Indiana State Wage & Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him. “I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded the agent. “Well,” replied the farmer, “there’s my farm hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $150 per week plus free room and board. Then there’s the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night.” “That’s the guy I want to talk to — the half-wit,” said the agent. “That would be me,” replied the farmer. (“The Indiana Farmer”)

The Indiana Farmer, the self-described “half-wit”, knew the order of the farm. He was the owner and the one who worked the hardest and longest with the least amount of pay. Why? Because he “owned” the farm and loved it! He had consecrated his time, talents, and energy to the “building up” of the farm. Does this sound familiar? As members of Christ’s church, we make covenants  to build up the kingdom of God here on earth. So following the example of the Savior, the order of the priesthood is that we should be last or the least. That is, we are the servants of all. It is inherent then, that priesthood callings, be seen for what they are; they are callings to be the lowest of the servants!

Upon hearing the Savior preach of the difficultly of a rich man making it to heaven, Peter lamented his eternal fate when he and others questioned their hearts regarding this matter. The exchange with the Savior is found in the tenth chapter of Mark:

“And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” (Vs. 26-31)

And so, he that puts himself last in this life, shall one day be first in the kingdom of Heaven. By becoming followers of the Savior many people have given up or altered their relationships with friends and family. Others have given up much in time and worldly riches to serve and follow the Lord. But the promise from the Lord to those,  is that “he shall receive a hundredfold” in the world to come, eternal life. I have faith in the promise of the Lord that he that lives a life of “last”, shall be rewarded by our Father and become “first” in the eternities.

 

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