The Life of Investment

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." - John 12: 24-26

These words have always had an effect upon me. As I have read them the last few nights, I have been struck once again by reality of investment. Jesus is talking about what kind of investment we will make with our lives. The mental picture of one seed sacrificing itself so that hundreds of other seeds can be created has great appeal to me. In so many ways one seed is so insignificant. But when in the soil, it can produce so much more.

I don't think that Jesus means a literal hated of our own lives, but a love that is so significant, potent and powerful for the eternal that it makes all other loves look like hate.

I was thinking about what it means to be a servant last night according to what Jesus says... how am I, or even can I, be a servant of the Living, Eternal, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient God? The answer for now is A) I am not completely sure and B) to love Him and everyone else as much as I can and to show that love by compassionate acts.