We live in a world today where most of us are told that we can be anything in life, and do what we want to do.
While most of these encouragements fail to explain the hard work that goes into accomplishing these goals, some do stress on the importance of perseverance and striving to make dreams come true.
Regardless of how we’re told to achieve these dreams, we are told this one thing – dream big – do something with your life – achieve something for yourself – make money – become famous – make a name for yourself – it’s your life – you can do what you want to – bring honor to your family – live.
And we’re taught how to do this, right from the our childhood, where we’re told to come first in class, whether it’s in studies, sports or any other activity that involves competition.
In a world that teaches us to do everything we can to get to higher positions of money, power and position – to live life to it’s fullest, the Gospel message of Jesus Christ seems to have the worst sales plan ever.
The Gospel message tells you exactly the opposite of what the world tells you – a name for yourself doesn’t matter – do not seek glory for yourself, but glorify God – do not seek money – do not seek power – your life is not your own – die!
Die!? YES!
The call to follow Jesus essentially is a call to die to oneself, to consider the needs of others more important than the needs of oneself, to serve those you absolutely detest and regard as unloveable.
The call to follow Jesus is to give – give your time to others, give your money and possessions to the point where you have to sacrifice your own wants, to deliberately choose inconvenience, to lower your position to the point of washing your enemies’ feet.
In a world where we’re told to be careful of people taking advantage of us, Jesus says this –
“If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well”
Matthew 5:40
Seriously? Who does that? Who would want to do that?
And that’s not all – you’d think that the Bible would atleast give you good role models to follow in doing things like this.
But do you know what we get instead?
Abraham, who lied about his wife so that he wouldn’t get killed.
David, who slept with another woman and had her husband murdered
Noah, who had a drinking problem
Peter, a coward who denied his own Master thrice.
The Bible has got the worst sales plan ever!
It would be ridiculous to believe all that the Bible has to say, and to follow what it says? No way!
It would be ridiculous to choose to believe that a man died in my place, that He’s coming back and I’m going to meet Him in the air, to choose to give up my wants and desires, to say, “I don’t get to have my way”, to give my best to those who have betrayed and humiliated me, to believe in the fallen ‘heroes’ of the Bible.
It would be utterly ridiculous to choose to believe it all, and that’s why I’m so glad it wasn’t my choice to believe.
It was God’s choice that I should believe.
It was God at work when I was picked up from the darkness, from the smallness of my own thinking, from my foolish pride.
It was God at work, when He opened my eyes to see a glimpse of His majesty, when He invited me to be a part of the massive story that He has written, and even when I said the words, “I give my life to You”, it was Him who put the words in my mouth.
The message to follow Jesus is ridiculous and anyone who chooses to believe in His way must be a fool….
…unless it’s all true; unless God has taught the believer what it means to truly live.
