OF CONCERN TO OUR LORD IS HIS FOLLOWERS’ DEGREE OF COMMITMENT
With eyes glued to the TV, amazed as can be, we watch juggling acts performed by talented artists on “America’s Got Talent”. Ever wonder how they do what they do. When interviewed and asked about it, their usual response is: “We forsook all else and devoted ourselves fully to the discipline of training and conditioning.”
What it takes to become professional jugglers is analogous to what it takes to become mature Disciples of Jesus Christ. As soon as we respond to the call of Jesus to come out of sin into salvation, He invites us, “Come, follow me”.
It’s fairly easy to follow the man Jesus as a human being going about doing good, getting undivided attention by performing miracles. But to follow Him as Lord literally means - “go the same way all the way”.
As aware as we may be of the intent and the extent of this original meaning of the word follow, wannabes who commit to follow Christ are challenged by Him to count the cost of going the same way all the way.
Mama never told me that life would be “a bed of roses” --- quite the contrary! Jesus never told his disciples that the Christ-life would be easy! Rather, he seemed to teach a principle similar to what Mama alluded to when she cautioned me with this bit of wisdom: “Life is hard by the yard, by the inch it’s a cinch.”
Better to deal with life as it happens! Yes! ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word, just to rest upon His promise, just to know: ‘Thus sayeth the Lord’. But, seriously, “Let the dead bury their dead”? Wouldn’t it be better to plan ahead? Seems senseless and out of sync with His other teachings. Was he being facetious? Stay tuned!
Remember: Jesus is telling His disciples what it could mean to give up life as they have known it . . . surrender one’s all to Christ as Lord. No bed of roses!
It’s not that our Lord is insensitive to family needs --- and obligations thereof. Most likely he’s being honest with opportunists who are quick to jump at a chance to achieve greatness in the kingdom, announcing with gusto: “I’ll follow you wherever you go”. Remember Peter? Another Mama saying: “Actions speak louder than words”!
One giant leap for the sake of mankind might be what is needed in certain situations . . . But, if you take a hard look at what you’re “getting yourself into” by following Jesus all the way, you might want to calculate the cost of doing so by the inch - one day at a time – as life happens - not based on a one-time commitment!
One small step at a time is an everyday, come-what-may, in-it-to-stay kind of attitude that takes precedence over platitudes that wannabes come up with. Count the cost in terms of comfort . . . customs . . . convenience . . . connections.
Jesus used three odd images to inscribe on the chalkboards of our minds potential challenges associated with following Him – Luke 9:57-62 . . .
No teaching of Jesus should ever be construed to be of short-term duration and application. Our Lord always had long-term “best interests” of His followers at heart. To Jesus, eternity is an ongoing experience --- interrupted of necessity every now and then by emergencies or unexpected developments.
Taking time to tend to matters at hand was important to Him, but, back to the grind of “making the main thing the main thing” sooner rather than later was of utmost importance to Him --- and He would like it to be that way with you and me.
Never lose sight of the goals God has set for His children!
As members of the Family of God: To be God’s and to do God’s will is our main objective! If, therefore, we commit our way unto the Lord - in penitence, asking God’s forgiveness . . . by faith, asking Jesus to come into our hearts . . . by submission, asking the Holy Spirit to take control as our interpreter and guide in and through it all – no longer are we on our own, but we are in partnership with Christ, and our allegiance does not change with the weather but remains steadfast and sure.
When storms come - they will - that’s when steadfastness is put to the test. Will His disciples run, or, keep on following Him come hell or high water? At this point of no return - no turning back - is where spiritual conditioning pays off.
Twice already Jesus had predicted His death and resurrection. He knew the stormy times would come for Him with the passing of days, but He also knew that uncomfortable even unbearable experiences lay ahead for His followers.
Trying to balance the world’s hatred toward Christians with the love they were instructed to show their enemies would be a juggling act.
Nevertheless, if the Message of atonement for sins by His death on the cross plus the Good News about eternal life guaranteed by His resurrection were to be carried to the uttermost parts of the earth, His followers must of necessity be conditioned by a deep commitment to stay the course.
Thus, before a final decision is made to commit one’s life FULLY to the way of the Cross, Jesus counsels His disciples to count the cost of FOLLOWING all the way:
What the way of the Cross means is the possibility of no place to call home . . . stay . . . lay me down to sleep on a regular basis. There may even be times when devoted servants wonder where their next meal is coming from.
So, unless a would-be “wherever’ follower can do without the comforts of home - and make do as best he or she can - whenever, wherever, however, for as long as – that follower should forget about surrendering his or her life to the extent of no turning back. “Wherever forever” followship may not be for everybody!
What the way of the Cross means is the possibility of having to forego long established customs, such as staying home, or living close by, to take care of aging parents until they pass on. Such matters might have to be left up to family members who may have never thought they would become caretakers.
Jesus made sure any “wannabe” follower understood the priority He was placing on followship by countering this excuse - invoking the custom of caretaking - with an obvious solution that no one looking for an excuse could argue with.
Jesus simply pointed out (a bit facetiously) there will always be stay-at-home followers . . . the “spiritually dead” . . . trusted extended family members who can take care of the final rites of parents IF the “wherever” follower happens to be too far away at the time.
Folks: There will never be a convenient time to transition from the ordinary to the extraordinary . . . life as it once was to life as it has to be . . . from the “land of the dying to the land of the living”! Inconvenience is part of a life FULLY committed!
What the way of the Cross means is the possibility of losing connections to the past with little chance to go back to the way we were when we enjoyed many friendships at school, churches we were once a vibrant part of, even at reunions that kept us in touch with the good times of yesteryear.
Even a farmer realizes that last year’s crop is gone, and now he must set his sights on plowing straight ahead - looking forward to a new crop followed by an abundant harvest. We gotta focus on the opportunities ahead of us - later today, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows of life.
“Water over the dam” is a way to look at the past. Yet there is a better way – a deep and abiding appreciation for our mothers who focused on what was best for their children -- just as God our Father through Christ our Lord steadfastly and surely did whatever needed to be done, whenever it needed to be done, wherever it needed to be done, however it needed to be done, for as long as it needed to be done to bring about good for those who love and serve Him.
To the end that God’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven and that, in and through it all, God is glorified and Jesus magnified, let us reaffirm our decision to follow Jesus!
Be not a “wannabe”. Be a “busy be” by following Jesus who said, “I must be about my Father’s business.”
To be about our Father’s business means to travel the road less taken, as the poet Robert Frost put it, “Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference”. As we reflect on our choice of The Way, we say: “Following Jesus made all the difference”. Amen!
