Luke 14:33
“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take
what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye,
you can’t be my disciple.”
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
“God has other plans.” This
is the phrase my mother uttered over and again, particularly in her last
days. I’ll be honest…as I have gone through things at my Mother’s
house - and even sorted and “purged” my own closets and drawers – I’ve
wondered…”What was the significance of this item? Why was it saved
and/or treasured?” Over the years, I have wondered what brings certain
people together. The old saying that “opposites attract” seems to apply
to many friendships and relationships where people on the fringe scratch
their heads and wonder, “What does this person see in that one?” And
yet, the relationships are strong – and important to those involved.
So
when it comes time to part with some of our prized possessions…or a
“breakup” or “death” of some sort occurs between people or relationships
(even a job or a move of some kind)…we are often left devastated. We
have attached so much personal significance to these things or people
that we cannot imagine a life in which we could function without them.
And yet…this is exactly what Jesus calls us to do.
Understand that Jesus says you must be willing to give up what is dearest to you. He doesn’t say you will be required
to do so. You may never be asked to sacrifice belongings or people in
order to serve Jesus. But you must be ready and willing to do so, all
the same. This is what separates us and signifies that we are Christ’s
disciples…our willingness to forego everything and trust Him to make everything alright.
So
if I am truly a disciple of Christ, I have to be able to say, “It’s
okay that my parents and other loved ones are no longer alive on this
earth. I trust Jesus to fill in the gaps and comfort me.” When God
tells me that an association or relationship is toxic and I need to
detach from the other parties, I have to trust that He will deal with
these persons according to His will…and bring new relationships to fill
my life and give me joy. When I hear God saying, “You don’t need
another pair of shoes…but a foster child in your town needs clothes,” I
know that I must give up satisfying my selfish desire (and cluttering my
closet) in favor of meeting someone else’s true need.
My mother
had plans to travel…spend time with her children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, friends and family members…write books and visit
her beloved Branson “family”…nurture others, and more. She had stacks
of books she was reading or planned to read. She planted tulip bulbs in
the fall and anticipated their blooms in the spring. She wrote of
picking up her apron next Thanksgiving Day and cooking a family dinner
once again. And God had other plans.
In this case, my mother
could do little to change the fact that God was calling her to
heaven…but she had a choice about how to react. She could have gone
kicking, screaming and complaining. She could have told everyone how
bitter and angry she was and encouraged us to be mad at God. Instead,
she smiled over and over and said, “God has other plans.” She
encouraged us to stay faithful…to trust that God’s will is perfect…to
accept that everything on this earth is temporary – both physical
possessions and the people we know and love.
This is a daunting
question…”Who and what would you be willing to sacrifice for Jesus?”
When we think about what Jesus sacrificed for us, this seems like a
rather silly query. When we consider what Jesus offers us in exchange
for our “surrender,” it seems even more absurd. So today, I suggest
that we all spend some time thinking about our discipleship…our
relationship to the One who has given us everything, including the
promise of Eternal Life…and ask, “what – and who – are we willing to
give up for Jesus?” If/when God has other plans, are we ready to smile
and accept them? Isn’t it time we were?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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