Matthew 16:26-27–For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 

This past week some of the people I grew up with were remembering a young man we all liked and admired who was killed for allegedly “snitching” about a robbery.  The young man that killed him I grew up playing baseball with, and I believe he is still serving life in prison.  This happened in 1996, now 20 years later this man has to live with the regret of exchanging his freedom for a reputation…

Usually when we think of this scripture we may not think of the severity of it, compared to the story I just shared.  But in reality what Jesus is talking about is much more severe than losing our freedom in society.  It’s just that we are generally blind or numb to what we enjoy exchanging our soul/life for.

The context of Jesus’ statement, embodies what salvation looks like, even for a person who has been saved for 50 years.  That we are giving up our old life to gain true life in Christ daily.  Jesus makes no distinctions between Christians and devoted disciples.  The call to follow Jesus is a call to lose our life, so the conversion experience is continual (1 Corinthians 1:18).  Day by day, living for His sake and not our own, is what characterizes one who is striving to follow Christ as a disciple.

If you asked the man today who committed the murder 20 years ago, if gaining a reputation was worth losing his freedom/life, the answer would be obvious.  But he like us, are many times blinded by what we think is worth exchanging true life in Christ for.  I’m learning as a disciple of Christ, that we must determine daily the things we grow numb or blind to, are not worth exchanging Jesus for.

In His Love, Ld