Yielding Our Rights Away Isn’t Easy

When I was living in New Jersey, we called them “circles.” Elsewhere they’re called “roundabouts,” little islands of land in the middle of a busy intersection to expedite traffic flow. Instead of four-way stop signs that are too often ignored, at roundabouts drivers are expected to yield to approaching traffic. 

 

The trick is determining who’s got the right-of-way. Even when certain it’s you, it’s wise to proceed with caution in case another driver approaching the roundabout thinks differently. Sometimes it’s necessary to yield even when it’s within your rights to keep going.

 

Before these traffic “merry-go-rounds” were created, yielding was still an important part of driving safely. One of the laws of physics is two objects can’t occupy the same space at the same time. So, in addition to familiar red hexagonal stop signs, red or yellow triangular yield signs were placed strategically. Their purpose – to effectively warn drivers that vehicles might be approaching from another direction and if so, let them go first.

 

On today’s highways it’s obvious yielding isn’t a natural human tendency. Drivers speeding down the roadway are apt to squeeze into any available space rather than yield, even if it gains them only one car length and shaves perhaps three seconds off their arrival time.

 

Roadways aren’t the only places where we might yield to others. Entering a building, for instance, might prompt us to yield to someone who’s arrived at the door the same time. Sometimes it might be an act of kindness to yield in the grocery store line to a customer with only a few items to check out when we have a full cart. Such common courtesies, however, are often disregarded in favor of, ‘I got here first. After me, you’re first.’

 

In the political sphere, representatives sometimes “yield the floor” during a hearing to others who have pertinent contributions for the discussion. (Although in today’s adversarial climate, that’s increasingly rare.) On TV talk shows we see unyielding participants insistent on proving what they have to say is far more important than anyone else’s.

 

The concept of yielding is vital to what the Bible teaches. We live in a world where everyone seems to be demanding their rights. Our Constitution even includes the Bill of Rights, amendments that specify fundamental rights guaranteed by law. But in God’s economy, being a Christ follower often means giving up our rights.

 

Instead of stating we are to yield, however, the Scriptures use another term many people find equally bothersome: Submission – or submitting.

 

Even as children, the concept of submission rankles us. There’s the story about a little boy who refused to sit in his car seat. He didn’t care if it was for his own good or that the law required it. He just wasn’t going to sit down.

 

Finally, the father stopped the car, turned around and insisted that his son sit, or he’d face consequences when they arrived home. Finally, the headstrong little tyke complied. But after his father resumed driving, he muttered, “I’m sitting down on the outside – but I’m standing up in the inside.” He might as well have been wearing a sign, “Will Not Yield.”

 

As we grow older, the circumstances change but our unyielding, submission-averse mindset doesn’t. Whether at work, in our homes, or in everyday activities, we resist being told what to do. We want things on our own terms.

 

A genuine encounter with Jesus Christ has a way of changing that. Especially when we understand even Jesus recognized what it meant to submit; He didn’t go to the cross because He had nothing else to do that day. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the evening before being crucified, Jesus agonizingly prayed, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (John 12:27). He later added, “Not My will, but Your will be done.” There is no greater example of submission.

 

What could have motivated such sacrifice? Love. Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins, a price we could never even conceive of being able to pay.

 

God might not command us to give our lives for Him, although many have done that rather than renounce their faith. But the Lord does ask us to submit – to yield – in other ways: First of all, to Him, by obeying His commandments and responding to opportunities He sends our way. 

 

Then there’s submission to others, serving them in the name of Christ, even if it means giving up something tangible or offering time and energy in response to a need we can fill. As the apostle Paul exhorted believers in ancient Philippi, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

 

There’s also submission to our spouses. This is an especially sensitive subject. Ephesians 5:22 instructs, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,” but this strikes some as demeaning. Perhaps the word ‘yield’ would be easier to swallow, since it suggests more a matter of willing deference.

 

It helps to read this teaching in its context. After stating, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church…,” it offers clarification: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). How did Jesus love the Church? He gave His life for it – the body of believers – in the most literal sense. The matter of submission – yielding – applies equally to both spouses.

How can we live in such a selfless way when, like the little boy, we’re tempted to be sitting down on the outside while standing up on the inside? Only through the love and power of Christ living in us through His Spirit. We bring the willingness, the desire. The Lord provides the power. As the apostle Paul declared, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). 

Much of the Time It’s a Matter of Motives

Do you enjoy reading murder mysteries or watching detective shows on TV? There’s always the crime, then the sleuths arrive to examine the crime scene. For the remainder of the show, book, or program they sift through three basic questions: means, opportunity, and motive.

They work to locate or at least identify the weapon used in committing the crime. Then they compose a list of potential suspects, determining who can be connected to the scene at the time when the crime was committed. But sometimes the most complicated element for solving the crime is the motive. Why did he or she do it?

 

The idea is that people don’t commit crimes without having some rationale or motive for doing them. But this is true not only for criminal behavior. It’s a valid consideration even for the good things that people do. 

 

We might do an act of kindness for someone, for instance, to gain their favor. Students have always been known for buttering up their teachers and professors, hopeful of receiving better consideration for their grades. As law enforcement officers would say, “That’s motive.” The same could apply for a husband might brings flowers home to his wife. He might be doing so to atone for something he did that upset her. Or he might be seeking to get her in a good mood when he tells her of his plans to take a fishing trip with his buddies.

 

Sometimes very good things are done to receive public recognition. Years ago, I worked for a Christian ministry and a wealthy donor decided to give a very large contribution to support the work. He didn’t do so anonymously, however. He traveled to the ministry’s headquarters to present the check personally – and to have his photograph taken as he was handing it to the organization’s president. In the newspaper business, we called that the “grip and grin” photo.

 

Our motives can often be revealed – or concealed – with our speech. Who doesn’t appreciate compliments? But we need to be cautious when confronted with unexpected and perhaps unwarranted flattery. The Old Testament of the Bible has much to say about this. For instance, Psalm 12:2 says of the tactics of ungodly people, “Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.” 

 

Psalm 55:21 offers a stern warning that even seemingly good friends can betray with kind-sounding words: “My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.” Evil intentions harbored inwardly may be disguised but ultimately, they will be revealed.

 

Proverbs 26:24-26 provides a vivid description of this, someone who seems to be saying the right things but clearly is being guided by the wrong motives: “A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.” 

 

Motives are of special interest to God. We can do good things; noble things. We can help the poor, talk with people about Jesus Christ, teach a Bible class or lead a small group, contribute financially to worthy causes, serve our congregations in ways that are commendable. We may even receive the accolades of many for our actions. But what concerns the Lord most are our motives – the why of what we’re doing.

 

Two verses from Proverbs make a similar observation, stated a bit differently. “All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord” (Proverbs 16:2). “All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart” (Proverbs 21:2).

 

And Proverbs 17:3 asserts, “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” If we’re doing the right things but for the wrong motivations – if our hearts aren’t in the right place – God isn’t pleased.

 

The book of Acts gives a powerful example of someone desiring to do good things but not for the right reasons. A man named Simon was practicing sorcery in Samaria and receiving a lot of attention. However, he discovered Christ’s apostles were performing many wonders he couldn’t even have imagined. He wanted in on the action:

“When Simon saw the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ [The apostle] Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God…’” (Acts 8:9-24).

 

We can become overly introspective to a fault, but sometimes it’s good when engaged in doing things that could be described as “Christian work” to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this? Am I truly doing this for God’s glory – or am I doing it to make myself feel good, or so others will think well of me?” How we answer could be revealing.

Will You Be Able to Pass the Test?

When I was in college, the things I dreaded most were the tests, especially final exams. I remember the great sense of relief I always felt during final exam week when the last big test was over. Take great weight, remove from shoulders!

I eagerly looked forward to graduation. Surely that would be the end of all the tests. Was I wrong! I soon learned life is one test after another. Whether it’s being hired for a job and proving you’re able to do the work, getting married and discovering the challenges of being a spouse, or having children and learning parenting is rewarding but also hard work. It's one test after another.

 

There are the trials and tribulations that come with living in a broken, often unpredictable world. What do you do when there’s too much week left at the end of your pay? How do you respond when you get a health diagnosis and it’s not good, with major surgery in your imminent future? What’s your reaction when you’re driving along, minding your own business, and someone slams into your car?

 

We’ve all encountered these “tests.” And most of the time, you can’t study for them. You just have to deal with them as they come. 

 

But adversity and hardships, the things we typically regard as tests, aren’t necessarily all bad. In retrospect we might actually be thankful for them. It was Soviet dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who wrote, “Thank you, prison, for having been in my life.” His time in a gulag for people who opposed the communist government proved to be a growing experience for him, both personally and spiritually.

 

The apostle Paul, no stranger to adverse situations, addressed this directly: “…we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). 

Another apostle, James, had arrived at the same conclusion. Writing to Jews scattered around the known world, he urged them to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1: 1-4).

 

Just as lifting weights serves to build physical strength, the “weights” of everyday challenges can serve to build us up spiritually. It all depends on how we respond to them, whether we resolve to persevere even when things become so difficult we’re tempted to quit. 

 

No sane person seeks hard times; we don’t enjoy pain and suffering. But believing that “in all things God words for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), we can face difficulties with confidence and hope, knowing He’s allowing them for a reason.

 

But have you ever considered that success, prosperity, enjoying seasons of life when everything seems perfect also can serve as times of testing – tests that reveal our character?

 

We see it all the time with people who are in the public eye: politicians, entertainers, star athletes, prominent business leaders, even people who are “famous for being famous.” They’re in the news, grabbing headlines. People fawn over them, telling them how wonderful they are. Is it any surprise that some of them develop huge egos, convinced they’re really something?

 

That shouldn’t be an option for followers of Christ, however. The apostle Paul cautioned, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Romans 12:3). In essence, this is saying there’s no room for “divas” in the Lord’s kingdom.  

 

Humility certainly has an attractive quality to it. If someone is accomplished in some area of life, it’s fine to acknowledge that. But flaunting it or overflowing with pride isn’t attractive at all.

 

The Scriptures say how we respond when people speak well of us can become a form of testing. Proverbs 27:21 states this clearly: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but a man is tested by the praise he receives.” Precious metals like gold and silver are refined under extreme heat, removing the dross and increasing their purity. In a similar way, God can refine us not only through adversity but also through the “heat” of being praised. Do we become puffed up, even insufferable to be around?

 

When I first noticed that verse, I was the editor of a magazine for Christian business and professional people. We had made major changes in the publication, received a number of awards, and readers were responding very favorably. When I traveled or was attending a conference, people would come up to me and say how much they appreciated the magazine and its message about how to live out our faith in the workplace.

 

At first, it was nice to receive such affirmation, but after a while I realized a temptation was lurking. Would I start taking to heart what people were saying and let my head swell up while patting myself on the back? Or would I graciously accept the compliments but immediately redirect them to the Lord, who had given me the skills and passion I was using, along with the opportunity to lead the publication?

 

Our journey through everyday life is filled with tests; not all of them involve unpleasant circumstances. If things are going well for you, perhaps receiving high praise for the work you’re doing or for the family you’re raising, beware. It could be God’s way of saying, “This is a test!”

 

As the apostle James declared, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).

Always Keeping One Eye on the Finish Line

For most of my life I’ve been an avid sports fan. Besides rooting for my favorite teams, one of the primary reasons is how sports can mirror the everyday realities of life.

 

The college football season is only a few weeks old, but we’ve already had teams that dominated most of the game but ran out of steam at the end, resulting in crushing defeat. We see something similar in auto racing, whether it’s NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula One or whatever: A driver can lead most of the race, even into the last lap, and still lose due to mechanical failure, a blown tire, running out of fuel or crashing. 

 

In Olympic running events, whether sprints or marathons, often the leader at the start – and even near the end – isn’t the one who wins the race. It’s like that for baseball, basketball, soccer, swimming or any other competition. They all must adhere to a basic principle: It’s not how you start but how you finish.

 

This reality is even more impactful for our journey through everyday living. We might start a new job full of excitement, more than willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. After a while, however, the enthusiasm wanes, we stop getting the “attaboys,” and before long we’re looking for a new job, whether out of choice or because the boss recommends that would be a good idea.

 

Bride and groom stand at the altar, all smiles and filled with emotion. They eagerly exchange their “I do’s” and can’t wait to get on with the thrill of being married. Years pass, maybe kids join the equation, bills pile up, and the initial attraction doesn’t seem to be there anymore. One or both parties decide that instead of “I do,” “I don’t.” Another marriage turns into a dismal statistic.

 

Nowhere is the importance of finishing well greater than in our spiritual life. The Bible is filled with examples of people who got off to excellent starts but stumbled before reaching the finish line. David, writer of many of the Psalms, slayer of Goliath and longtime king of Israel, experienced a less than spectacular finish. His family, consisting of children from numerous wives, became the poster child for dysfunctional families in that day. David’s sin with Bathsheba and his order to see her husband Uriah killed to cover up the scandal remained a permanent blemish on his legacy.

 

Solomon, David’s son with Bathsheba after their first child had died, started off in exemplary fashion. After David chose him to be the next king of Israel, Solomon assumed the throne with great humility. Instead of asking for material wealth and a long life, he asked the Lord only for wisdom. “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9).

 

Sounds great, right? Solomon became known for his great wisdom, oversaw great construction projects including the long-awaited temple to worship God in Jerusalem and his own palace, and accumulated riches beyond calculation. However, later in life he defied the Lord’s commands. Solomon began compromising, forging alliances with foreign powers rather than trusting in God alone. He also managed to acquire a total of 700 wives and 300 concubines from different nations and cultures.

 

We read the sad conclusion in 1 Kings 11:4, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” What a sad epitaph!

 

There are other biblical examples, most tragic of all being Judas Iscariot, who had been one of Jesus’ 12 closest disciples. Imagine being able to hang out with Jesus, day after day for much of His earthly ministry. And yet at the end, opportunistic, scheming Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver – and took his own life by hanging from a tree.

 

Contrast these with the apostle Paul, who had been transformed from persecutor of the Jewish followers of Jesus to one of His foremost advocates. Despite hardships of many kinds, beatings and stonings, at the end of his life Paul was able to state, without pride but simply as a fact, “I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6-7).

 

That is the kind of epitaph I’d like to have said of me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve observed the examples of my “elders,” some of whom are now in their 80’s and even 90. Many of them are still determined to “press on,” as Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14. They remain engaged in serving the Lord and others, sharing their faith whenever they have the opportunity and helping other believers advance in their faith by discipling, mentoring, and being accountability partners. They’re finishing well – and inspiring many others as they do so.

 

These friends eagerly anticipate one day standing before the Lord in heaven and hearing Him declare, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21). Is that your hope and expectation?

It Was the ‘Most’ That He Could Do

Suppose you had to make a literal life-and-death decision: Take steps to save the life of someone you dearly loved, or choose instead to protect the lives of dozens, even hundreds of people – at the expense of your loved one? That’s a horrendous question even to ask, much less consider. Hopefully none of us would ever be in that position. Nevertheless, what do you think you’d do?

 

This is the plot of a short film, “Most,” set in the Czech Republic. It’s not new, having been produced in 2003. But it won multiple awards from the film industry, and more than 20 years later continues to draw strong reactions from all who view it. It’s about a single father who takes his eight-year-old son to work with him, never imagining the consequences.

 

The father is the bridge tender for a railroad drawbridge which spans a river. His job is simple – when ships approach, raise the drawbridge until they pass, then lower it so oncoming trains can go over it. One particular day he brings his son with him to work. They’re having lunch when he receives a call that a train is coming, earlier than expected. Since he has just raised the bridge to allow a ship to pass through, he must quickly lower it again for the oncoming train. 

 

Unfortunately, while the father is occupied in the engine room, the son innocently decides to play nearby. He stumbles and falls into the drawbridge’s gearworks, becoming caught and unable to get out. As the father looks down in horror at his son’s plight, he also hears the whistle of the train fast approaching. Instantly the bridge tender is faced with an impossible, no-win decision: Leave the drawbridge up and save his son but cause the deaths of hundreds of people on the train – or lower the bridge at the expense of his son’s life.

 

With no time to weigh pros and cons, he agonizingly lowers the drawbridge, securing the train’s safe passage but resulting in killing his son. Passengers on the train are busy talking and laughing, oblivious to the unthinkable choice the father has make.

 

There’s more to this fictitious story, but as an allegory it asks us to ponder the imponderable. How could a loving father allow his own son to die?

 

It’s not too hard to think of another Father who made a similar choice, one of even greater, eternal significance. Approximately 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified as God the Father looked on. This was the plan from the start, not an unforeseen circumstance. As Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

This wasn’t a death by lethal injection, gas chamber, firing squad, or even hanging. It was being nailed to a wooden cross, regarded by many as the most horrendous, excruciating method for execution ever devised. The Roman Empire made lots of worthwhile contributions that we still benefit from today, but crucifixion wasn’t one of them.

 

But even greater than Jesus’ physical pain was the absolute interruption of the perfect harmony He and God the Father had enjoyed for all of eternity. The reality of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is something that confounds the human mind. But we read the devastation Christ’s crucifixion caused in His agonizing words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

 

We can’t begin to comprehend what this was like, but the Scriptures leave no doubt as to why it was necessary. The book of Romans states the case with clarity. Perhaps in response to anyone who might claim, “Well, I’m a pretty good person,” or “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you’re sincere,” Romans 3:10-12 declares, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

 

Could it be clearer than that? There’s an incredible dilemma, one we can’t resolve: Each one of us is utterly sinful, totally undeserving of the love of a perfect, holy, righteous God. As the apostle Paul confessed in the same letter to believers in Rome, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

 

However, in the very next verses Paul writes that God – as only He could – has provided the remedy: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!... Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 7:25-8:1).

 

Another passage expresses both the problem and the solution: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood…” (Romans 3:22-25).

 

The image of the bridge tender consciously sacrificing his son so the passengers on the train would live gives us a small measure of understanding. However, what the Lord did for us on the cross is of infinitely greater magnitude, literally a matter of eternal life or death. 

As Jesus told his friend Martha after her brother Lazarus had died – and before the Lord raised him from the dead – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25-26). And as the apostle affirmed with unwavering conviction, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). That truly was the “Most” He could do. 

He’ll Never Plead with Us to Stay

Have you had a time when someone you cared for was going away and you couldn’t bear the thought of it? It might have been a spouse, son or daughter going to college, maybe someone in the military who was being deployed to a distant country – and you felt like begging them not to go. Or a beloved relative who had come for a visit, but it was time for them to leave for home. Knowing you wouldn’t be seeing them again anytime soon, did you want to plead with them to stay longer? 

We’ve probably all experienced this in one way or another. Perhaps it was a love interest who, after having a sharp disagreement with you, was grabbing a coat and preparing to head out the door. Did you desire to implore them not to go?

 

It’s not easy to see folks we love depart, whether it’s simply at the end of a pleasant visit or a more emotional parting. The words well up inside of us, spoken or not: “Please, don’t go!”

 

This came to mind as I’ve been reading some of the interactions Jesus Christ had with people He encountered during His earthly ministry. What has seemed particularly interesting is that if they desired to follow Him, He welcomed them. But if folks wanted to leave, He never begged or pleaded with them to stay. The choice was theirs. 

 

Consider one of the most heartbreaking verses in the Bible. After His feeding of the 5,000, and then a series of stern teachings, many who had avidly pursued Him were having second thoughts. After He declared, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe,” the passage continues: “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him” (John 6:63-66).

 

Jesus doesn’t plead, “Hey, don’t leave! Was it something I said?” No, it’s more like He was thinking, “Some people can’t handle the truth.” (You might recall similar words from the movie, “A Few Good Men,” but stated in a very different context.)

 

Then there’s the fellow often referred to as “the rich young ruler,” an account recorded in Matthew 19:16-30. This man approached Jesus and asked what seemed to be a legitimate, sincere question: “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus responded by saying the answer wasn’t complicated: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

 

When the young rich man inquired, perhaps with checklist in hand, “Which ones?” Jesus cited several of the commandments, including not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying, honoring parents, and finally, “love your neighbor as yourself.”

 

We can imagine the young rich man smiling and thinking, ‘No problem. I’ve got this!’ So, he replied, “All these I have kept…. What do I still lack?” Maybe he expected Jesus to pat him on the back or give him a hearty, “Attaboy!” Instead, “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.’”

 

The young man’s jaw must have dropped. He might have wondered, ‘What did He say? Seriously?’ The passage says, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

 

As was the case with the hangers-on that decided the Lord’s teachings were too demanding, so they left never to return, Jesus didn’t chase after the rich young man, pleading and encouraging him to reconsider. Why? He explained on another occasion, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24).

 

This is what’s often referred to as “the cost of discipleship.” Or as pastor Kyle Idleman described it, the difference between just being a “fan” of Jesus Christ and being a genuine follower. 

 

Jesus doesn’t want fair-weather fans, people eager to hang around Him as long as things go their way. There’s always a cost to following Him. It might not mean giving away all of one’s possessions, but it does require willingness to release anything standing between us and a thriving, eternal relationship with Him.

 

Yes, the Lord loves everyone but He’s not going to implore or cajole anyone to follow Him. In Revelation 3:20 we read His words, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” Jesus isn’t banging on the door, trying to knock it down. He’s expectantly waiting, ready to enter into the lives of all who welcome Him.

 

The Scriptures don’t tell us if any of those who turned their backs on Christ ever returned. Or if the rich young ruler later determined the riches Jesus offered were far greater than all of his material possessions. 

 

Some of us initially rebuffed the Lord’s invitation but later turned to Him in repentance. He’s patient; in no hurry. The Scriptures tell us, “The Lord knows those who are His,” but we’re also told, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19). God is love, yes, but He’s also righteous and just.

 

There are people like those in the disenchanted crowd, the rich young ruler, or those in Jesus’ parable about people who declined an invitation to attend a wedding feast. But there also are people like the disciples who heard Jesus’ call, the apostle Paul, and many others who earnestly responded to His invitation. 

We all have the same choice to make: Will we follow the Lord or choose instead to follow our own devices? The invitation is extended, but He won’t beg us to come.

Echoes of 9/11 Reverberate to This Day

It’s hard to believe a quarter of a century has passed since many of us witnessed one of the most horrific news events of all time. On Sept. 11, 2001 – today known simply as “9/11” – terrorists commandeered four commercial jetliners. One flew directly into one of New York City’s “Twin Towers”; minutes later a second was flown into the second tower.

Not long afterward, a third jet was aimed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while a fourth – because of the heroic efforts of passengers who had learned about the other planes – was prevented from reaching its intended target. Instead, it crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania, killing everyone aboard.

 

Nearly 3,000 people died as victims of the terrorist attacks, not including the 19 hijackers. That included 2,753 in the World Trade Center buildings, 184 at the Pentagon, and 40 passengers and crew in the airliner that crashed in Shanksville, Pa.

 

In the days following, people across the United States experienced unity in a way many had never known. Our nation had come under attack, and its people became unified by mutual grief, fear and uncertainty. Countless thousands assembled together at churches for prayer, entreating God’s guidance, wisdom and comfort. Political and philosophical differences were cast aside.

 

Although that spirit of camaraderie was short-lived, ramifications of the unimaginable terrorist attack continued, many to this day. More than 360 first responders had died after rushing to the crash site in New York; many others died in the years following due to illnesses traced to intense exposure to ash, debris and toxic gases. 

 

Before 9/11, security measures at airports and on airplanes had been relatively minimal. There was no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prior to that day; there had been no bothersome lines prior to boarding planes to check for possible bombs and weapons. The same was true for major sporting events, concerts and other large public gatherings.

 

Unfortunately, despite the devastation and horrifying images of that day, collectively we seem to have a short memory. A whole generation of young people has been born in the past 25 years, so they have no personal memory of what transpired on 9/11. For some of them, it’s only something from a history book, akin to the sinking of the Titanic or the explosion of the German airship Hindenburg. And some prominent individuals, including elective office holders, in recent years have downplayed the evil acts of that day. 

 

Nevertheless, those of us who observed what unfolded that day, whether via the broadcast media or in person, will never forget it. I’ve a friend who still vividly recalls that morning, knowing that if he had not overslept after watching a late-night pro football game on TV, he might have been among the casualties in one of the towers. He lost many friends that day. What kind of hatred could have motivated such a sinister, unfathomable terrorist scheme?

 

Tragically, this wasn’t an isolated episode of terrorism. Many other malevolent acts have been perpetrated in the two-and-a-half decades since, although not to the scale of 9/11. Prior to that day, America seemed to have existed in a state of innocence – or perhaps, naivete. We couldn’t have imagined such an evil scheme even being conceived. But it was. And today we remember the lives lost, the vile ideology that spawned the acts, and understand the depths to which human behavior can descend.

 

To date there are no remedies, no simple solutions. We can be thankful for intelligence agencies that strive to abort terrorism in its many forms, but we’ve learned that another can occur at a time and place one might least expect. How then are we to respond?

 

For those of us who trust in God’s sovereignty and His mighty power, we can find consolation and hope. As we’re told in Psalm 5:4-6,11, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors…. But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.”

 

The problem of evil remains, along with debates surrounding why a good, loving God can allow such heinous acts. But our confidence is that ultimately not only His love but also His perfect justice will prevail. Writing to Christ followers in ancient Thessalonica who were enduring severe oppression, the apostle Paul stated: 

“…among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecution and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and will give relief to you who are troubled…. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels” (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7).

 

As we hear about and observe the chaos, hatred and malice being manifested all around our world, it would be easy to lose heart. However, we can cling to the assurance of Hebrews 12:28, which declares, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

 

May we never forget 9/11, the people who perished, the brave souls who prevented mayhem on an even greater scale, and that ultimately what we’re seeing is evidence of a great spiritual war we cannot see: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).