There has always been a cost to pursuing and following Jesus. At some point in the life of a Christian, there will come a point that to follow Christ means rejecting the ways of this world. One will have to live and speak at great odds against norms and societal opinions that have become popular among the populace. Jesus himself said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” We not only have to deny ourselves, but we also have to deny the world and its powers our loyalty and approval. Therein lies the great challenge. To live for Christ is to live at odds with eventually ALL worldly political, social, or popular movements of this world. Eventually, those movements will demand loyalty that can only be reserved for Jesus, and when that loyalty is denied by the faithful, they will inevitably be despised.
This past week, we saw the heinous and evil act of assassination against political activist Charlie Kirk, as well as another school shooting in Colorado. Both acts as equally vile, both acts perpetrated by an act of evil. There are now childless parents, there is now a widow, and fatherless children. Hearts have been broken, lives have been shattered, all because individuals deemed their lives, views, and agendas as superior to the lives of others.
Already, there are many talking heads, political mouthpieces, and news outlets attempting to explain, express, and blame for what has occurred. There have been calls to action, calls to prayer, calls to peace, and calls to violence. People have responded in anger, responded in grief, and even more chillingly, responded in celebration. Which leads me back to the original statement of this devotional: there has always been a cost to pursuing and following Jesus.
