Rewards for a faithful life

In Matthew 20:1-28 Christ tells his disciples what on can expect for being a faithful worker in the kingdom of God. One can expect to get the same reward as everyone else no matter how long they have been faithful, as seen by the parable of the laborers in the field. Christ does not promise any special seating in heaven as James and John found out by the denial of the mother’s request by Jesus. In fact what we can expect is mistreatment by the world. Jesus told his disciples that they could expect to drink of the same cup he was about to go through (though not exactly like his). What one must do however to be found in favor in the Kingdom of God (here and now as well as in the future) is to be the servant to all, just as Christ came. This shows the superiority of humility over pride and how God blesses the humble. Psalm 25:8-10 shows how God blesses the humble with instruction and in what is right, loving and faithfulness, all of which are the ways of God. I must be humble in my ministry in the church while not expecting any favors from God. God is not one who owes me anything. It is hard for me to think that since I have been a good little boy for most of my short life and have answered the call to serve the church by going to seminary. Yet all that is just fine to God, but nothing deserving special merit. God is the source of all the good in me and the ways that I faithfully walk are not my own but his ways that He has taught me. I have no bargaining power with God, in fact I am merely his servant. I am expected to therefore be a servant to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. A small little caveat to that is that I should not expect great payment from the church for my services. I am merely a servant and all I should expect is enough to live on and that God is in control of not me. I am merely his servant and trust in him for sustenance.