“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.” John 17:22
Jesus does something extraordinary in this prayer: He passes on the glory the Father gave Him. But what is this glory? It’s not fame or success or comfort. The glory Jesus received was the privilege of dying on the cross so we could have life, and then being raised so we could live eternally. It’s the glory of sacrificial love, of laying down your life for others. And Jesus says, “I’m giving that same glory to you.”
This means we’re called to be people of the cross, not people who admire it from a distance. We die daily to ourselves so Christ can live through us. We embrace the way of sacrificial love in our marriages, our parenting, our friendships, and our work. When a family gives up typical vacations to serve in Haiti year after year, they’re living in this glory. When you use your creative gifts to make pillowcases with Scripture for a missionary’s frightened child, you’re walking in this glory. The question isn’t whether God can use you globally; it’s whether you’re willing to embrace the cross-shaped life He’s calling you to, right where you are.
Reflect:
- What would it look like for you to “die to yourself” in your current circumstances?
- How might God want to use your specific gifts, talents, or resources for His global mission
- Ask God to show you one way you can embrace the “glory of the cross” this week by sacrificially loving someone in Jesus’ name.
