The Loss of Life and Sufficiency of Christ
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?'" Luke 9:23-25
If I'm honest with myself, I'd like to rewrite these verses. "For whoever would save his afternoon..." or perhaps, on a particularly holy moment, "For whoever would save his day..." As believers, I think many of us are accustomed to sacrificing a few hours for a program, or perhaps several hours a week to prepare for a study. But what does it look like, in modern day America, to lose ourselves for Christ's sake?
Of course, there are the missionaries, the ones who have given up everything they know to go to a foreign land. They've counted the cost and declared Jesus of infinite value, more valuable than the risk to their own lives, the lives of their children, their comfort and security here. We applaud them, we give them money, we pray for them and joyously send them on their way and (hopefully) continue to support them as they give their lives to go where the gospel isn't.
But why? Why is it that, in the terms of overseas missions, our priorities suddenly shift? A romanticism envelops the whole affair, with the risks suddenly all worth it as we beat our breasts and quote Nate Saint. No longer do we logically think of the very real risk, the throwing all rational thought to the wind as a life openly mocks all this world tells us is valuable.
It is done, I propose, because all this world holds dear is nothing when we look at a country enveloped in darkness, at souls in need of Christ. Of course (of course!) He is of more worth than earthly comfort.
And yet, Christian.
And yet, there is a disconnect. Because here, in America, we celebrate these brave missionaries, these SuperChristians. We pray for them and give money to them and get 100% behind The Great Commission, the goal to reach souls for Christ. And we do it from our isolated properties, our gated communities, our beautiful homes in a manicured neighborhood where we park in our attached garages and relax in our fenced yards and foster and cherish the anonymity our lifestyle has provided us.
Why do we applaud the missionary that will risk all to go to a foreign land, devoid of Christ and cloaked in darkness, while all we need to do is look at our city to see neighborhoods devoid of Christ and cloaked in darkness, but we declare the risk too great for our own lives? If Christ is sufficient to protect and sustain the Christian bringing their family into a 3rd world, undeveloped, hostile country, is that same Christ not sufficient to protect and sustain the Christian bringing their family into an impoverished, gang-ridden neighborhood?
In the same way that not every Christian is called to International Missions, I do not believe every Christian is called to relocate to the height of brokenness in their city. Yet, that said, I do believe that it is a glaring blind spot in evangelical Christianity today. Finances, adoption, gospel-centered-fill-in-the-blank...all are very rightly on our radars and preached from the pulpit. Yet in the midst of this, where we actually live our lives has become somewhat of a sacred cow.
And so Christian, I challenge you to count the cost, to at least have the discussion. Look boldly into the darkness. What would it cost you to devote not just an afternoon, not just a day, but a life? A life lived for the sake of Christ, building relationships with the least of these in our city, those who most likely have heard the gospel but have never had anyone care enough to live it alongside them? Is Christ beautiful enough to endure falling asleep to blue and red lights bathing your bedroom? Is the price He paid worth going out in the dead of winter to fix a single mom's garage door after vandals ripped it off its tracks? Is it worth learning to routinely cook for four extra people, knowing more than likely there would be unexpected guests around the table for dinner?
If Christ isn't worth it, if we cannot trust Him to sustain and protect and provide, then we should be pitied, because we serve a pathetic God. But if He is, if He's truly worth losing our lives for, well, Christian, that could rock this world.
If I'm honest with myself, I'd like to rewrite these verses. "For whoever would save his afternoon..." or perhaps, on a particularly holy moment, "For whoever would save his day..." As believers, I think many of us are accustomed to sacrificing a few hours for a program, or perhaps several hours a week to prepare for a study. But what does it look like, in modern day America, to lose ourselves for Christ's sake?
Of course, there are the missionaries, the ones who have given up everything they know to go to a foreign land. They've counted the cost and declared Jesus of infinite value, more valuable than the risk to their own lives, the lives of their children, their comfort and security here. We applaud them, we give them money, we pray for them and joyously send them on their way and (hopefully) continue to support them as they give their lives to go where the gospel isn't.
But why? Why is it that, in the terms of overseas missions, our priorities suddenly shift? A romanticism envelops the whole affair, with the risks suddenly all worth it as we beat our breasts and quote Nate Saint. No longer do we logically think of the very real risk, the throwing all rational thought to the wind as a life openly mocks all this world tells us is valuable.
It is done, I propose, because all this world holds dear is nothing when we look at a country enveloped in darkness, at souls in need of Christ. Of course (of course!) He is of more worth than earthly comfort.
And yet, Christian.
And yet, there is a disconnect. Because here, in America, we celebrate these brave missionaries, these SuperChristians. We pray for them and give money to them and get 100% behind The Great Commission, the goal to reach souls for Christ. And we do it from our isolated properties, our gated communities, our beautiful homes in a manicured neighborhood where we park in our attached garages and relax in our fenced yards and foster and cherish the anonymity our lifestyle has provided us.
Why do we applaud the missionary that will risk all to go to a foreign land, devoid of Christ and cloaked in darkness, while all we need to do is look at our city to see neighborhoods devoid of Christ and cloaked in darkness, but we declare the risk too great for our own lives? If Christ is sufficient to protect and sustain the Christian bringing their family into a 3rd world, undeveloped, hostile country, is that same Christ not sufficient to protect and sustain the Christian bringing their family into an impoverished, gang-ridden neighborhood?
In the same way that not every Christian is called to International Missions, I do not believe every Christian is called to relocate to the height of brokenness in their city. Yet, that said, I do believe that it is a glaring blind spot in evangelical Christianity today. Finances, adoption, gospel-centered-fill-in-the-blank...all are very rightly on our radars and preached from the pulpit. Yet in the midst of this, where we actually live our lives has become somewhat of a sacred cow.
And so Christian, I challenge you to count the cost, to at least have the discussion. Look boldly into the darkness. What would it cost you to devote not just an afternoon, not just a day, but a life? A life lived for the sake of Christ, building relationships with the least of these in our city, those who most likely have heard the gospel but have never had anyone care enough to live it alongside them? Is Christ beautiful enough to endure falling asleep to blue and red lights bathing your bedroom? Is the price He paid worth going out in the dead of winter to fix a single mom's garage door after vandals ripped it off its tracks? Is it worth learning to routinely cook for four extra people, knowing more than likely there would be unexpected guests around the table for dinner?
If Christ isn't worth it, if we cannot trust Him to sustain and protect and provide, then we should be pitied, because we serve a pathetic God. But if He is, if He's truly worth losing our lives for, well, Christian, that could rock this world.
posted by The Bakers at 11:07 AM
1 Comments:
Wow. Thank you for your honest and refreshing perspective. As a missionary called to serve stateside, my heart is grieved by the attitude you are describing. Our country desperately in need of Christians who will engage our culture and embrace the call to love our neighbors as ourselvew, wherever we may live. May God bless you as you wrestle with His call for your family.
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