Take Up Your Cross

Jesus tells us in four passages in the Gospels to take up your cross and follow Him.  Matthew 10:38 and 16:24, Mark 8:34 and Luke 9:23- Then He said to them all "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."  The verse in Luke is particularly powerful as it includes the word daily.  Jesus tells us that to follow Him we must deny ourselves.  How do we do that?  First we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and then we let Christ live through us, we live for Christ instead of for ourselves.  This is a hard thing to do when the world around us is filled with things to worship, whether its money or respect or celebrity, whatever, there are many distractions in this world that make it hard to live for Christ.  Next Jesus tells us that to follow Him we must take up our cross daily.  How do we do that?  Again we live for Christ, we love for Christ and as Christ loved us, we share our faith and wear Jesus on our sleeve as we go through each day.  This again is a hard thing to do, with work or school and trying to fit in or not buck the status quo.  But remember Jesus didn't fit in, He ate with prostitutes and outsiders, He overturned the merchants in the temple, He questioned the status quo.  So, how do we know if we are ready to follow Christ, to take up our cross?  Ask yourself some questions:

Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means possibly losing some of your closest friends?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means possible alienation from your family?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means you could lose your job?
Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means you could lose your life?

If you can answer those questions with a resounding Yes, then you are ready to take up your cross and follow Him. Peace and God Bless