Peter Worries about his Reward
After months or even years of the day-to-day walk of discipleship, it is common for doubt to creep in. From birth, each person is programmed with expectations. Cry to be fed. Yell to get attention. Learn to walk and receive a shout of joy or a clap. Show up and get a participation trophy. It’s an absurd worship of all things material versus spiritual. For the materialist, idolatry is embedded in every aspect of living.
Christ Jesus replaced the system of rewarding material effort with a godly perspective on one’s relationship with creation. His teaching is based on the spiritual laws of Love, Faith, Hope and Unity rather than the 613 materialist laws practiced by Jews during his time.
Unfortunately, it seems much easier to follow a material law like “do not commit murder” or “don’t covet (lust after) your neighbor’s wife”, than it is to become an expression of ideal “Love”. A material law requires targeted effort at specific times, while a spiritual law requires changing one’s worldview and behaviors throughout every moment. However, there is also a paradox of sorts taking place. Satisfaction of materialistic goals only leads to boredom, discontentment and to more goals. While leading a life guided by spiritual law produces joy and wisdom and eventually an end to all materialistic desires.
