God's A-List

The A-List seems to be a big thing in Hollywood, and if you're not on it you are nothing, at least according to those who are. Yet what about God, does he have a heavenly A-List, and if so, who would be on it?

As Christians in a now society, we so easily forget eternity as all our focus is so often on this present world. Yet, Jesus promised so much in the kingdom of heaven, hyperbolically a hundred times what we may have had to give up now in order to follow him. In our world a common saying is that he who dies with the most things wins. But in Matthew 19:30 Jesus says the exact opposite, again contradicting this world's way of thinking.

So, how is it with us? Are we among the first or do we count ourselves among the last. Imagine if Hollywood paraded the homeless, manual laborers, janitors and others that people may put on a Z-List and made a big fuss over them. Woudn't that be rather strange? No familiar names, no big egos and the typical paparazzi fawning over "personalities" but instead, a red-carpet welcome of those who are the last in our society.

That is how it will be in heaven. Many who are the last will be among the first, because God's A-List has nothing to do with Hollywood or any other of this world's standards. "Although the demands of discipleship are great, the eventual rewards will be far greater." (Hagner, D. A. (2002). Vol. 33B: Word Biblical Commentary : Matthew 14-28. Word Biblical Commentary (566). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.)