August 5, 2023
The Value of the Common
“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 12:25-26 (NASB)
While looking online at U. S currency pennies, I noticed some are worth quite a lot of money. Some fetch $100,000. Others approach the 2-million-dollar mark in auctions. While I have not had a chance to go through our old box, it made me wonder why there was such a dramatic difference between them. Then I saw the differences. The variations were numerous. Some were made with copper, bronze, and others with zinc coated steel, which made them more valuable. Some were minted with distinguishing marks. In these pennies, many do not know the value of them until they flip them over to look at the date of print, or the backside which distinguishes them. Just think, a common penny can be so valuable. Then I thought about today’s passage and saw the similarities. The common penny, serving for so many decades, can over time become extremely valuable, but only to the inspector who knows it. God is the Inspector.
“He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.” Jesus wanted to impress upon His disciples the principle of death was not only common to His life, but to His disciples as well. They too would face the threat of death for standing up for Christ and His kingdom. As they would continue to witness for Jesus in the coming days, the sharing of the gospel would endanger their lives. They needed to be prepared for the same death as Jesus. Their love for Jesus and His kingdom had to be the priority in their lives, not the accumulation of things. “And he who hates his life in this world…” Vincent says, “This earthly economy, regarded as alien and hostile to God. The words are added in order to explain the strong phrase, hateth his life or soul.”[1] “Clearly μισεω [miseō] means “hate” when the issue is between Christ and the dearest things of life as happens when the choice is between martyrdom and apostasy. In that case one keeps his soul for eternal life by losing his life (ψυχη [psuchē], each time) here. That is the way to “guard” (φυλαξει [phulaxei]) life by being true to Christ. This is the second paradox to show Christ’s philosophy of life.”[2] To be willing to die for the kingdom of God is the first mark of the common servant of Christ. Then, “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.” The second mark is the common servant of God must be willing to serve Him. So how does the servant follow God? Jesus said it well, “and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me.” This servant is with Jesus, serving Him in whatever capacity Jesus asks. This is a consistent following and serving His Master. Martha did this too…
Today, I see Christians who were obedient to Christ at His beckon call, but now have fallen away. It is a sad situation. They have become the penny which served the common good of God, but now look new (shined up with their appearances of joy), but of no value to the common God of God’s will. They shined themselves up to look nice and pretty, but they are still just a common penny. One day, the inspector who looks at the penny will see their true value and find it of no value. But those who serve the Master, “the Father will honor him.”
[1] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 219). Charles Scribner’s Sons.
[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Jn 12:25). Broadman Press.