Matt 6:3 "Seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"
Matthew 6, a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, contains the Lord's Prayer, prehaps the most famous prayer of all time. This model prayer by Jesus captures well the meaning of the kingdom: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Jesus seeks to bring the two worlds together, and the Sermon on the Mount explains how.
At first glance, some of Jesus' advice may seem downright foolish: Give to everyone who asks, love your enemies, turn the other cheek, grant interest-free loans, don't worry about clothes or food. Can such idealism ever work, in the "real," or visible, world? That is precisely Jesus' point: Break your obsession with safety, security, thriftiness, self-righteousness. Depend instead on the Father, letting God take care of the personal injustices that come your way, trusting God to look after your daily needs. In a nutshell, the message of the kingdom is this: Live for God rather than for yourself.
The message applies to rewards as well. Most of us look to friends and colleagues for our rewards: a slap on the back, a raise, applause, a generous compliment. According to Jesus, far more important rewards will come in God's heavenly kingdom. Therefore, the most significant acts may be carried out in secret, seen and rewarded by no one but God.
Life Questions
Among the people you know, who best put these principles into practice?
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