Matthew 11:20-24

Matthew 11:20-24 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  To revisit an earlier discussion, Jesus did not come simply to be a kind and gentle teacher, hoping to say nice things to everyone to encourage us to be kinder to one another.  Jesus came with a vision of heaven in his heart, and the desire to encourage everyone to share that vision.  For those who turned a indifferent heart towards Jesus, he warns that there will be dire consequences in the future. 
  It's easy to put future things in the back of our minds.  This is what makes discipline so challenging -- we much prefer the present pleasure, even if it's less rewarding than the future may be.  But since the future reward is distant, we underestimate it and choose not to put in the hard work now to reach it.  We settle for a lesser present reward, and miss out on the future gain.
  To grow into the type of people who love Jesus, to grow into the faithful life you imagine, it often means sacrificing now.  In this passage, Jesus warns those who refuse to sacrifice any present pleasure in order to grow towards a future and eternal relationship.  May we recognize the wisdom of aiming towards the eternal goal, and may we do whatever it takes to grab hold of that future vision!