It’s commonplace to see my grandson with his shirt on inside out and backward. He doesn’t care–in fact, sometimes he does it on purpose. Often I just shake my head and move on. But one day I was reminded that our God is also an inside-out and backward kind of guy. Our society encourages us to accumulate items that portray wealth, a symbol of our hard work and intelligence. However, Jesus, our leader, after thirty-three years of living had nothing to hold in his hands but a wooden cross.

He didn’t wear a velvet robe, a gold chain, or a crown of jewels. He wore simple clothes and a pair of sandals. He didn’t even possess a pillow to lay his head on as far as I know. “A Torah-teacher approached and said to him, ‘Rabbi, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Yeshua said to him, ‘The foxes have holes, and the birds flying around have nests, but the Son of Man has no home of his own.’” (Matthew 8:19-20) And yet, Jesus only needed to say two words, “Follow me.” and people would leave their family and possessions to follow Him.

“He was not well-formed or especially handsome; we saw him but his appearance did not attract us. People despised and avoided him, a man of pains, well acquainted with illness. Like someone from whom people turn their faces, he was despised; we did not value him.” (Isaiah 53:2-3) This is our Savior! One of the poorest men to ever live, He started life in an animal feeding trough and died as someone to be shamed, hung on a wooden cross. His only possession, His clothing, was divided up by the throw of the dice.

This is Who Father sent to show us the way? Someone who had nothing to hold in His hands but could heal anyone, even after they had died. A wanderer without a home, not even an animal to ride upon. He doesn’t lead us to wealth and pleasure as our world sees it, but He leads us to another world where that will be all we know. The glory and majesty that flow freely from our Father will be what makes our lives complete. 

Don’t waste your life chasing after what you will leave behind. Seek the only One worth chasing.