The first shall be last

29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife^e or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:29-30)

Thoughts: First in the eyes of the world does not necessarily translate into first in the eyes of God.  The race is not always to the swift or the contest to the strong.  When we sacrifice for God, we may not receive blessings here- but we are certainly guaranteed blessings above. God lifts up the humble in this life and also the next.
    What this is saying is that just because you finish first in worldly applause does not mean you will finish first in the sight of God.  Ideally, we should always do our best for the applause that matters. Yet, if the world does not recognize us- or treats us unfairly- we do not give up.  Jesus did not finish first in the eyes of the world.  He should have been just another criminal who spoke against bad authority- in the eyes of the world.  But He WAS indeed God in human flesh.  He was the first to break through death into eternal life.  The eternal prize is a prize that matters above all earthly ones.  

Prayer: Lord, let me value what you value and let everything else fade away.