In yesterday’s reading from Mark 10:13-31 there are these words.

“receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and lands,”

If you have read the assignment you know that is not what was said and you know there is much more to the telling than the false appearance of a reward. It looks that way to a certain group of students of the Word because they have tunnel vision. All they are looking for is “what’s in it for me?”

Throughout history we can name the condition if not specific names. Christendom gathered a bad reputation over the centuries because of bad actors. They gained control of peoples, cities, countries and continents because all their tunnel vision would allow them to see what was in it for them.

What I left out of the original quote is your only reward in this present time. Brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children are your reward.

2 Corinthians 12:17-19 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Mark 10:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.

This is Jesus reply when the Pharisees tried to trap Him using questions about marriage. I choose to avoid all the lessons and mistakes of that issue and listen to what Jesus says here in His root cause response. Laws are written and precepts are given because of the condition of our hearts.

If we all loved God and one another perfectly, from a good heart, we would not require constraints. We would all do what is right in the sight of the Lord. We are not perfect in heart, so the constraints are put into place.

How about our relationship with our betrothed, Jesus? Do you love Him perfectly? Sadly no, as much as we try, because we have not yet been perfected. We will not come to the wedding feast without first being perfected.

Revelation 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Because we have not yet been perfected we live with constraints. What constrains you? The law?

Job 32:18 (ESV) For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.

The Word of God is like a heart conditioner and must be applied daily to keep the heart tender and not allowed to harden.