Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.” John 12:23

“I’m the king of the world!” filmmaker James Cameron proclaimed while accepting the Best Director prize for his blockbuster movie, Titanic. This was Cameron’s moment of glory.

Since that night in 1998 in the spotlight of the Academy Awards, Cameron has been remembered for borrowing the “I am the king of the world” line from his movie, and proudly seizing the glory.[1] Lest we criticize Cameron too harshly, we should admit that most of us have to fight the tendency to put ourselves forward.

Jesus Christ also had a moment of glory here on earth.  At the end of his personal ministry, He announced it, saying, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory” (John 12:23). Jesus’s glory involved a robe of royal purple and a crown, but it was with a crown of thorns, pressed down onto his head as he was mocked, abused, and crucified (Mark 15:17). Jesus would be glorified, not with awards given as the crowd applauded, but in a tortured death.

Earlier, the crowds had come to see his miraculous signs. But Jesus’s glory was all about vanquishing death forever and bringing new life. He explained, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone.  But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives (John 12:24). Jesus’s glory came from His Father and benefited us.

What will your moment of glory look like? May it be others-oriented and from God, rather than from the fickle crowds.

[1] Alter, Ethan. “‘Titanic’ Oscars 20 Years Later: Revisiting James Cameron’s Cringe-Worthy ‘King of the World’ Moment.” Yahoo!Entertainment, 2 Mar. 2018, http://bit.ly/3Gfqjhk.