John 7:14-24

John 7:14-24 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Jesus' humility is remarkable.  Here he is, the most powerful man in the world, investing his time with some of the poorest people in society.  He not only acknowledges them and treats them with dignity, a rarity in the time, but he also lifts them up in the presence of the powerful.  In infuriates the leaders of the church, but Jesus continues to be faithful to who he is, and he doesn't seek the glory for himself.  In all of his works and deeds, he points to God.  He directs the glory elsewhere.
  In doing so, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what the Trinity is like.  It's not about the self -- it's a dance between God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, each selflessly pointing to the other, lifting the other up, encouraging and serving the other.  No one is thinking about the self, but in serving another, they have eternal joy and peace.
  So when we think about heaven, think not about streets of gold and what is in it for us.  Think instead of a community based on selflessness, where the thought is how to point the glory to another, and in so doing we forget all the things that bring us anxiety, the worries, the fears that we won't measure up or be good enough.  In focusing on the others, we lose ourselves and yet find joy and peace. 
  It's a revolutionary thought in today's world.  Imagine a politician or business leader who is restlessly focused on others -- there are some who embody this more than others, but they are rare.  One day, the entire Kingdom of God will surround us, and we'll be lost in glorifying God, who is in turn pouring love and mercy into us.  So turn down the volume on those seeking to glorify themselves, and fix your hope on Christ and the selfless way he embodies the Kingdom.