|
|
 |
|
Discipleship:
Light
|
|
I love cran-grape juice. Which
is odd because I don’t particularly care for cranberry or
grape juice alone. But when you put them together, the result
is the perfect combination of sweetness and tartness.
Last week, Melissa asked me to pick up a few things from HEB
on my way home from the office. Cran-grape juice wasn’t on
the list, but it somehow found its way in the basket. When I
got home, I poured some into a glass and got ready for that
familiar flavor. After the first swallow, I knew something was
dreadfully wrong. It was then that I noticed a word on the
label that had somehow escaped my attention at the grocery
store. Light!
You can buy a lot of things “light” these days: sour
cream, cream cheese, ice cream. Basically anything that tastes
good comes in a “light” variation. One product even boasts
that it contains “all of the taste with none of the
guilt.” But I haven’t found that to be the case with any
of them. Because the light version is never as good as the
original.
This same concept is prevalent in the religious world. It is
the mindset that what God requires is too difficult for us to
keep, as when Jeroboam told the Israelites, “It is too much
for you to go up to Jerusalem” (1 Kings 12:28). So as long
as we keep some form of religion or semblance of service, God
will be satisfied. In other words, we can have all of the
taste with none of the guilt.
Many view Jesus’ requirements for discipleship as too rigid
and narrow. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt.
16:24). This has produced a variation that is similar to the
original but not the same: Discipleship Light.
Indulge yourself. You don’t have to deny yourself.
That’s too restrictive. God wants you to be happy and have
whatever your heart desires, even if it is contrary to His
will. So hold nothing back and indulge your impulses. After
all, it’s your body, your right, your life.
To be a disciple of someone is to follow after their example,
to pattern your life after their life. The early disciples
were called “Christians” (Acts 11:26) because of their
connection to their Master, their likeness to the Original.
That being the case, did Jesus practice self indulgence or
self denial? Which steps did He leave for us to follow? The
first thing He requires of anyone who wants to follow Him is
the willingness to put yourself last. He left the glory of
heaven to come down to a sinful world. Is He asking “too
much” for you to leave the things behind that get in the way
of fully following Him?
Take up your cross when you can. Conviction often
gets crowded out by convenience. It’s not a matter of what
is right but a matter of what is right now. When it is just
not convenient to be a Christian, you don’t have to be.
Depending on where you are or who you’re with, just keep His
commandments as best you can. You don’t want a religion that
holds you accountable. You want one you can control.
The cross was the symbol of commitment. It was the indication
of your readiness to face death rather than forsake your
convictions. Paul commended Priscilla and Aquila because they
“risked their own necks” (Rom. 16:4) for the sake of the
cause. It’s what Jesus requires from all His disciples: a
commitment to “take up his cross.” It implies that their
will be tough times ahead, times when it will be more
convenient to quit or turn back. But the real follower of
Jesus bears his load until “it is finished.”
Follow Him when it fits. His plans for your life may
not always fit what you have in mind. When that happens, you
are free to go your own way. Follow His will when it matches
yours, but take the more attractive path when it appears down
the road.
When Jesus asked men to follow Him, He wasn’t merely
interested in traveling companions. He wants disciples who
follow Him in trust. Like a sheep with his Shepherd, you must
believe that He is leading you in the right path to safety and
provision. And whenever you see a way that you think fits
better, have the faith to pray, “not my will, but Yours be
done” (Luke 22:42). Only then can He take you to your
Father’s house.
Discipleship Light may have some similarities with the
original, but it does not measure up. True discipleship allows
you to “grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted
that the Lord is sweet” (1 Pet. 2:2-3). Don’t settle for
anything less.
Bubba
Garner
|
|
|
|
|
