Life Lost

The Bible explains that we should count the cost of following Christ before we make the decision to accept him. If we know what we’re getting into before we commit, we have a better chance of standing firm to the end. To illustrate this, Jesus tells us that before going to war, a king will count the cost of that decision so that he can determine his chance of winning. And when building a house, the owner will determine the cost as well, so that the house doesn’t get only half finished. As believers, we need to count the cost of following Christ; and that cost is our very lives. The Bible tells us that we are not our own, that we’ve been bought with a price, and that price was the blood of Jesus as he bled and died on the cross. Matthew 10 reminds us that we shouldn’t love anything above Christ, including our own families, or we aren’t worthy of him. Verse 39 then goes on to says:

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

So, as you can see, the cost of following Christ is losing our lives for the sake of Christ. That means following what he wants for us, not only what we want for ourselves. We are “slaves to Christ”, as Paul puts it. I encourage you to re-evaluate your idea of what it costs to follow Christ. There are believers around the world who understand that choosing to follow Christ may literally mean their lives. Making a choice for Christ in the face of that reality will make any believer take their salvation seriously. Though even here in America, we must realize the cost isn’t any different. The cost is our lives. “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

---

At times, it does us well to take stock of our lives. Are we living as though our lives are ours alone, or are we living for Christ? Days and weeks may pass without giving much thought to our level of conviction to Christ, but it shouldn’t be that way. True believers remind themselves daily that their lives aren’t their own. Paul says that he dies daily. That means that he reminds himself of what should be true of every believer; that our lives are not our own. Daily we need to pick up our cross and follow him. Now is not the time for spiritually thin living. I encourage you, if you’re not already, to take steps to live a hardcore life for Christ.

Shrewd as Snakes

Are you familiar with the portion of scripture in Matthew where Jesus first sends out the disciples to preach the good news? One thing he tells them is this, from Matthew 10:16:

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

As I was reading that again recently, I began to realize that this is exactly how Jesus behaved when he spread the gospel. The next time you read one of the gospels, I encourage you to read it with this scripture in mind. I’ve always been amazed at how Jesus was able to answer the Pharisees perfectly every time. He’d find ways out of their traps, speak to them in parables that they didn’t fully understand, and confound them with his words and actions. He was shrewd, not naïve. And as Christians, we shouldn’t be naïve either. People may try to take advantage of your good nature, or manipulate you into doing or giving more than you are willing. They may play on the fact that you are a Christian trying to follow the mandates of the Bible. But Jesus didn’t allow himself to be manipulated. He was as shrewd as a snake, yet as innocent as a dove. We also need to see through the manipulation of others and pattern our responses in a way that reflect the shrewd and innocent nature of Jesus.

---

Like the disciples, I think that Jesus is calling us to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. We need to be wise and discerning. We’re not always supposed to be a doormat that someone can use and manipulate – though sometimes we are. The Holy Spirit might have to reveal which one is appropriate in a given situation. That said, we’re also supposed to be as innocent as doves; loving, kind, inviting and non-judgmental. If you’re struggling with that balance, I encourage you to pray that God reveal how this principle should play out in your life. I know that I’ll be praying for that in my life as the need arises.

Humbly Approach

Have you ever cried out to the Lord? I mean really cried out to him for help in a situation where you knew without his intervention you’d be in serious trouble? I confess that I can’t remember the last time I needed that level of intervention, but I know there may be those of you who find yourself in that place right now. If you are, remember that God is all-powerful and that he loves you. But also remember that he is sovereign, and that he is still God. Being that he is holy and sovereign may help us to remember to exercise humility in our desperation when crying out to him. David’s psalm, which reads like a prayer, ends with these words in Psalm 39:12-13:

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were. Look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more.”

You see, David was desperate, but he knew that he was approaching a holy and sovereign God. I like how he says, “look away from me, that I may rejoice again before I depart and am no more.” To me that shows true humility on David’s part. Think about it, David was king here on earth. He had men bowing at his feet, ready to do whatever he commanded. It could’ve been easy for him to approach God with boldness and even a bit of arrogance. But irregardless of his position on earth, David knew his place with God. Whatever you might be going through, I encourage you to do as David did. Cry out to God, but remember that he is holy and sovereign and we should humbly approach him – especially if we’re asking something of him.

---

God loves it when we talk to him. It says so in the Bible. But we need to remember that he is God. He patterned man after himself. And like us, he has feelings and desires, so we shouldn’t approach him as if he were a machine in which we insert a request and he spits out an answer. He has a personality and gets angry, pleased, and disappointed just like our earthly fathers do. But unlike us, he is holy and sovereign. People knelt at David’s feet when they needed something from him because he was an earthly king. With God, shouldn’t we be all the more humble and reverent?

Sincere Love

It is clear that God calls us to love one another. But some of us, myself included, often times don’t know how to love. I believe that love is more than just an act. It is more than just a feeling. It is a prompting and a desire that must come from the heart. And if we’re too detached from those around us, sincere love can be a challenge. Paul tells us in Romans 12:9:

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

“Love must be sincere”. And I’m convinced that for several of us, true, sincere love is only perfected with the help of the Holy Spirit. I say that to challenge and encourage you, as well as myself. If you often lack true, sincere love, remember that the Holy Spirit can perfect it in you. Just pray to him. Acts that we do for others in the name of love are wonderful, but sincere love is what Paul encourages us to have; a love that is not detached but wholeheartedly engaged; a love where you have invested yourself in someone else to the point that you can genuinely empathize and connect with them. If you are a person where sincere love comes naturally, I encourage you to continue to show it to everyone you can, including those who don’t return it.

---

Paul tells us that love must be sincere. So, I encourage you to open your heart to those around you. Feel what they feel, care for their cares, and sincerely love them. If you struggle with sincere love, pray to God that he open your heart to see others the way he sees them. Acts of love are great, but what God is really looking for is a heart filled with love that is sincere.

Follow Me

I’m often struck by how freely the disciples were willing to drop everything and follow Christ. With a simple command, that could almost be interpreted as a request, Jesus simply says “follow me” and they instantly drop everything and follow him. An example of this comes in Matthew 9:9 which says:

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. 'Follow me.' He told him, and Matthew got up and followed him."

There are parables of others whom Jesus wanted to follow him. And in these stories, they made excuses why they couldn’t follow him, or at least, why they couldn’t right away. But the main twelve followed him right away, without question and without hesitation. We as believers are also called to follow him, and even those who have yet to believe. I believe that Matthew became a true believer along the way as he saw Jesus being the messiah. So, if you are wondering to yourself if what everyone is saying about Jesus true; can he really give you a new life, one that has purpose here on earth and promises eternal salvation after death? Do what Matthew did. Don’t hesitate, follow him. The Holy Spirit is calling, and there is never a good excuse to deny him. And if you are a believer, think on what it means to follow Christ. I believe that following is more than simply believing. Following him is joining him in his ministry - his ministry to seek and save the lost. Sure, we don’t have the power to save the lost, but the Holy Spirit does. And he lives inside of us. So, we can do the seeking and the Holy Spirit can do the saving by using us as obedient servants.

---

In the bible, Jesus didn’t tell everyone he met to follow him. As a matter of fact, some wanted to follow him, but Jesus knew that they weren’t ready, equipped or didn’t have the mentality for that specific calling. But you can be sure that he is calling everyone now to follow him. Not to physically walk with him in his human form like the disciples did, but to follow what he did. We are to be like Jesus. And with that in mind, the phrase, “follow me” has a significantly different connotation than the literal sense. I encourage you, whether you have committed to trusting your life to Jesus or are searching for the truth, follow him. Follow his example, follow his commands, and teach others to do the same.