“By faith Moses…[considered] the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward” (Heb. 11:24, 26).
Moses placed a higher value on society’s condemnation of Jesus than he did upon all of Egypt’s treasures. Do you place a higher value upon your culture’s condemnation of Jesus than you do upon your culture’s applause for you and rewards to you? Those choosing Christ’s reproach over their culture’s commendations are constrained by the love of Christ (II Cor. 5:14).
Your world does not understand or appreciate your allowing yourself to be shepherded by Jesus’ Spirit of love (I Cor. 2:14). Why? “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18). You are a fool for Christ while they wallow in deathly foolishness.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit, shall from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7f.).
God says Moses “was looking to the reward.” In order to look to Christ’s reward, you must first look away from all other objects hindering your view of Christ and His cross. Moses refused the world’s perception of position (v. 24), the world’s understanding of pleasure (v. 25) and the world’s opinion of treasure (v. 26). Moses measured his life in the venue of eternity.
You do not have the ability to keep your eye simultaneously focused upon Jesus and the world’s positions of influence, pleasures and treasures. Like Moses, you must look away from your Egypt’s offerings in order to capture your Jesus’ rewards. Disallow the kidnapping of your eyes: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Col. 2:8).
Only in Jesus’ dishonor – only in the scandal of the cross – will you discover God’s grace. The world wants to remove the ugliness of the cross, but you cannot mask the venomousness of the crucifixion of the only continually sinless man the world has ever known. You want to be well thought of by all and yet remain true to the cause of Christ, but Jesus says, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers use to treat the false prophets” (Lk. 6:26).
Are you willing to surrender your desire for world-likeness in order to secure Christlikeness? Are you willing to surrender your desire to be pleasured in order to be godlied? Are you willing to surrender your desire to be materially comfortable in order to be eternally crowned?
“Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you” (Hos. 10:12).
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