Think about the Apostles of Christ after His resurrection when they found out that three of their number had talked with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. You can believe this was a terribly bitter pill to swallow. It must have been very difficult for them to maintain a good attitude toward Peter, James, and John.

There are ranks in the Kingdom of God. Some are destined to sit at the right hand of Christ when He comes in His Kingdom. What if someone you know who has been of little consequence in your church appears with Christ at His right hand while you are occupying a seemingly lowly place? Can you accept God's judgment in this?

Suppose you are standing on the sidelines while the army of the Lord passes by—legions of shining warriors led by Christ in His chariot of honor. But you were not chosen to be seated on one of the war stallions. Instead your task was to clean the street after they passed by.

If you could not clean the street with a joyous heart, rejoicing over those whom Christ had chosen to ride with Him in the chariot of honor, your heart is not yet right with God. You are not ready as yet to appear with the Lord.

Some people will be raised as great mountains of fire and glory. Others are little flowers in the garden of God. We suppose God is impressed with the mighty who shine as the stars but overlooks the little flower. We are mistaken in this. God is not impressed by any of the works of His hands. He thinks no more of the general in Christ's army than He does of the little flower whose only offering is its beauty it offers to the passerby.

There is, however, one characteristic that impresses God. It is the characteristic of faithfulness. God is equally impressed with the warrior who is faithful and the little flower who is faithful. God is faithful and requires faithfulness in everyone who would descend with Christ to drive Satan from the earth and bring the love, peace, and joy of God to the nations of saved people.

The reason that Christ, Head and Body, does not falter or become discouraged is that the saints are not working in their own strength. Bringing justice to self-centered, self-seeking mankind is going to require infinite patience, infinite faithfulness to God. We shall carry the rod of iron in our personalities, it is true. But we shall not be permitted to exercise our authority and power except as Christ works through us in love.

How can we falter or be discouraged? We are resting in Christ! We are doing His will! As our days are, so is our strength. Christ is always new, always young, always optimistic. So are we when we are abiding in Him.

It is the person who is working in his own strength who burns out, who falters, who becomes discouraged and frustrated, who grows bitter and angry because people and circumstances (and God) are not doing what he thinks should be done.

To be continued.