Thief-One or Thief-Two?

SCRIPTURE: Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

OBSERVATION: Two thieves. Two different responses to Jesus. The words of the two thieves, when compared to each other, are remarkably different and yet remarkably similar.
Thief #1 said, "If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us." He was hoping to benefit from Jesus' power right here and right now. His challenge to Jesus had a personal and selfish motive. He was hoping to capitalize; to cash in. It came in the form of a challenge: "Prove You are God by getting me out of this fix. Stop my pain and bless me so that I can believe in You." I wonder if Jesus had done that, would he have really believed and given his life to Jesus? I think probably not. The bless-me-and-I'll-believe faith is generally a pretty short-lived faith.
Thief #2 also wanted to benefit from Jesus' power as God. He said, "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom." However, his statement didn't involve a challenge for faith but a demonstration of faith. It wasn't "do this and I'll believe." Rather, it was "I ask this because I do believe." It is a huge difference. There is another huge difference. The first thief wanted his benefit here and now. The second thief was satisfied with his benefit in eternity. Not the here and now, but the hereafter. This is another demonstration of real faith.

APPLICATION: Do my prayer and my faith demonstrate a thief-one or a thief-two mentality? "Bless me now, Lord, so I can believe in You," or "Remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Don't settle for immediate gain and lose eternity in the process.

PRAYER: Lord, my prayer today is the same prayer as the second thief on that day, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Amen.