“17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Matthew 20:17-19)
Jesus and his followers travel from Jericho to Jerusalem. Jesus is already aware of what will soon happen to him in Jerusalem. He gathers the Twelve Apostles and informs them that the priests of Jerusalem will have him seized and the Romans will crucify him. Furthermore, he tells them that he will die on the cross and rise after three days. Knowing the obstacles and afflictions we are about to endure should not discourage us or cause us to give up. Instead, we must always cling to our values and advance towards our goals. Jesus’ life-test mirrors our own. We must adhere to our most cherished principles and values. Even if they require great sacrifices now, our existence will be far more meaningful thanks to them. Likewise, our reward will be much greater than any material or momentary gratification. The true reward awaiting us is spiritual redemption. This should always be our primary concern.
Loyalty requires self-respect and the humility necessary to put others above ourselves.
