“So when they saw him, they were amazed,
and his mother said to him,
‘Son, why have you done this to us?
Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.’
And he said to them, ‘Why did you seek me?
Did you not know that I must be about
my Father’s business?’
But they did not understand
the statement which he spoke to them.”
Luke 1:48-50

We also must be about our Father’s business, and many times people will not understand that and take offense …yet we can’t let that stop us. It takes courage to proceed in the Father’s business, the willingness to bear whatever reproach or offense that it will bring to us …and it certainly will. Many count the cost and deem it more than they’re willing to bear.

But we bear it because:

“…He has put eternity in their hearts…”
Ecclesiastes 3:11

And so, we labor on regardless the reactions of others, confident of his guidance – BECAUSE the things of value to us are those things eternal, which will last forever. “He has put eternity in our hearts.”

As Jesus endured the Cross, so must we — and for the same purpose, for the joy that is set before us. When we are in heaven and see the stories in their completion, we will rejoice for all eternity over every minute spent bearing our cross for the sake of the salvation of others.

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM
endured the Cross, despising the shame…”
Hebrews 12:2