Many of us will openly declare that we are Christians—unapologetically and unashamedly so. But how many of us truly take up our crosses and follow Jesus?
In the church (by that I mean the body of Christ—the people, not the building or specific denomination), we see so much emphasis on the teachings of the apostles. Which is great! These are all important.
But while we quote scriptures left, right, and center, openly pray beautiful prayers, and shout expressions of worship at our various gatherings, let’s be real: are we truly taking up our cross and following Jesus?
What does it mean to take up our cross?
First, we have to understand what this metaphor really means. Obviously, in today’s society, no one is walking around with a literal cross on their backs. So it is more important to look more deeply into the metaphorical meaning rather than the literal meaning. So let’s break it down:
Your cross
The cross is a symbol of complete surrender to God’s will. It represents hardship, suffering, struggle, and even death (literally and figuratively). So to take up your cross and follow Christ means you must completely surrender your will, your desires, your attitudes, your ways of thinking—everything about you—to Jesus. You must commit to dying to yourself so you can act in a way that is in complete alignment with Jesus’ way.
Sounds simple, right? So then, why is it that the church misrepresents Jesus so much? When a brother or sister sins, instead of showing compassion (as Jesus would), we cast them out. We apply our limited human understanding to the scripture that says “Abstain from all appearance of evil” in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV) and “…have nothing to do with such people” in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 (NIV).
But let me ask you, is that what Jesus would do? Remember the woman who was caught committing adultery in John 8:3-11? Jesus said to the accusers, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone,” and later to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
Today’s church would disassociate from her, but Jesus simply showed compassion and gave her a gentle reminder to leave her life of sin.
In our relationships, how easy is it for us to be petty because we “won’t let anyone take advantage of us” or because “we know our worth”? How much grace do we extend to the people we claim to love most? Jesus tells us to “turn the other cheek” in Matthew 5:39 and to forgive our brothers seventy-seven times in Matthew 18:22. Are we exercising this in our relationships at home, school, work, church, and community at large?
Love your neighbor as yourself
Jesus tells us that two commandments stand greater than the rest in Matthew 22:37-40: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Do we understand the depth of this command? It is simply saying, “Love everyone in the way you would want to be loved.” If you would want someone to make an effort to understand your love language and to show you love in the way you receive it best, then do the same for the people around you. If you would want the church to embrace you and be compassionate towards you when you sin (fall short of God’s glory—as we all do every day because we are imperfect humans living in a crooked world that is run by the influences and powers of darkness), then we must do the same for others.
Let’s not condemn the “backslider.” Let’s quit name-calling like “lukewarm Christians” or “silent worshipers.” Names we use with such great disdain and scorn. Let’s recognize how self-righteous that is and first repent of our own self-righteousness, then ask God to show us how we can be His light for those who need it. Let’s ask God to show us how we can use the same compassion Jesus uses to guide our brothers and sisters to His will for their lives (not our interpretation of His will).
I speak from personal experience
I gave my life to the Lord when I was 18. Got baptized and was very active in various ministries at my church (choir, dance, Vacation Bible School, you name it). However, brokenness has a way of leading us to places we ought not to be, and that’s what happened to me. Although I was serving in church, there was a brokenness in me that I longed to fill. I turned to my high school sweetheart when I should have turned to God as a babe in Christ.
The result? I got pregnant outside of marriage less than a year after giving my life to the Lord. The response of the church? I was immediately removed from every ministry I served in. Even when I repented and rededicated my life to God, I wasn’t allowed to teach God’s love to others because it “didn’t look right.” While there were some members of the church who extended helping hands, the underlying sting of rejection left a bitter taste in my mouth. I felt like God Himself had rejected me. I felt like I wasn’t even good enough to be loved by God. That pain caused me to slowly drift away from the church and ultimately from God.
My story isn’t unique. I’ve seen many others who are so hurt by the church that they are unable to experience the love, peace, and grace of God. The church, which is supposed to be like a hospital for the sick and broken in Christ, turns the very people who need Christ the most away.
I would argue that this is unintentional, but the result is still the same: people who need God the most feel rejected and hurt by Him because of the actions of God’s representatives in this world—the Church.
I don’t say this to bash the church. I say this to invite reflection, retrospection, and introspection. We are the body of Christ. We are His ambassadors in this crooked world. We are called to reflect His light so others lost in the darkness can find their way back to Him. We cannot do so unless we truly deny ourselves (our understanding, principles, standards, boundaries, wants, desires, likes, and dislikes) and align with Christ’s way. This is what it means to take up our cross and follow Him.
– Someone wrongs you? Instead of “putting them in their place because you won’t let anyone walk over you,” how about showing them Jesus’ light and extending grace?
– A brother or sister sins? Instead of disassociating yourself because it “doesn’t look good” on you, how about a quiet rebuke and compassionate guidance back to the light?
Easier said than done, I know. But isn’t that why it’s a “cross” we must take up? Isn’t this what we are called to do?
Prayer
I’ll close with this prayer that has been on my heart lately, and I hope you pray the same prayer too:
“Jesus, make me more like you. Please get rid of any behaviors or thought patterns in me that don’t reflect your character or heart for people. Make me bold, brave, and courageous, but keep me humble, kind, and gentle like you. Let me live in a way that reflects your hope and love. And when the opportunity arises, help me to share my faith with genuine joy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
God bless you.
-Lis
Leave a comment