Sooner or later, it’s your turn at the front of the line …

Were you one of those kids in school who always had to be at the front of the line?

In elementary school there always seemed to be a small group of kids who spent more of their time on the playground watching for the teacher to appear (which signaled the end of recess and time to line up) so they could scramble to be the first in line. Regardless of where the line was going, they always wanted to be first or near the front.

I usually wasn’t.

I say usually because it depended on when it was, and where the line was going! Sometimes, I wanted to get to where the line would take me, so I’d hustle to get near the front. More often than not, I was somewhere in the middle.

It’s different when the line is in life …
Growing up, we often have someone ahead of us. If not in an actual line, at least there are people ahead of us, leading us somewhere.

As a child, a teen, and a young adult, the people ahead of me were the adults in my life. “Grown ups” were always someone in their 30’s or 40’s or older who had learned, achieved, and knew what they were doing. There was always a generation or more ahead of me. I never understood how that provided a level of comfort to me until it was gone.

It was an odd day when I received the news my father had died.

I was already an adult when my dad died, but I had lost my mother as a teenager, and all of my grandparents had already passed away as well. The only “grown up” left in front was my father, and now he was gone.

Now there was no one ahead of me.

I had progressed to the front of the line in life.

In the front of the line spiritually …
As I read John 14, I can empathize with the disciples of Christ. They had left everything in life to follow Jesus. He was the One in front of their lives, leading them. Now He was telling them He was leaving, and they couldn’t follow where He was going (at least not at that time).

They would soon progress to the front of the line.

Soon, the ongoing work of building the kingdom of God would pass to them, at least in human terms. They would have to be the “spiritual grown ups” that others would look to. It had to be one of the most daunting thoughts they had ever had!

Jesus eases their concerns with some insights. First, He points to something for them to look forward to. In John 14:1-3, Jesus tells them:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

Although they were progressing to the front of the line, they would be reunited with Jesus in the future. It was something for them to keep their eyes (and minds and hearts) on while they were physically separated from Him.

Second, during this time there would be someone to see them through. Even though they would be at the front of the line, there would still be Someone to guide them. In John 14:15-17, Jesus says:

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.”

How comforting it must have been to know they would still have guidance, even if they found themselves in front of the line! Jesus offers even deeper comfort by assuring them that although He was physically leaving, He would remain connected to each of them:

“No, I will not abandon you as orphans — I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them,” John 14:18-21.

Finally, Jesus promises He wouldn’t leave them empty-handed. In John 14:27 we read:

“I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Everything looks different at the front of the line …
At some point, we all need to grow up spiritually. Eventually, it becomes your time to be at the front of the line. The responsibility of furthering the kingdom of God falls to you! These assurances Jesus provided His disciples He offers to you as well … something to look forward to, Someone to help you through, and the peace to settle you so you can follow Him while leading the line.

Scotty