What does it mean to be a Christian?

Why didn’t Matthew stay at his tax post when Jesus called him? Why didn’t he just tell Jesus, “Lord, there are so many people that pass through my tax post! If I stay here, just think of the kind of ministry I could have! I would have the opportunity to share the gospel with so many, Lord! I could do your work without having to leave my job! My ministry could be so much more effective if I stayed here. So yeah, I appreciate you asking me to come with you and all that, but it is not really my thing. I’m going to stay here and reach people while I’m at my job.”

What is it that most of us will follow God (or be a “Christian”) as long it does not require any sacrifice on our part, or at least the bare minimum of sacrifice? Why will we follow only if we are sure that we can keep our job and stay in our home (with our three cars)? What ever happened to leaving it all behind to follow him?

Why is it that we will be in ministry as long as it is “cool” or big, impressive, flashy, etc.? Sure, we will follow God, as long as it means that we’re in a ministry that makes us look great in front of other Christians (and brings lots of results). But whatever happened to sacrificing our reputation, our time, our money, or even our lives?

Is the Christian life more about a moral existence (you know, not being a “bad person”--doing mostly good stuff) or is it more about sacrifice? Did Jesus say “whoever comes after me must go to church every Sunday (at least), be involved in ministry (the more “cool” it appears, the better), and don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t have sex outside of marriage, etc, etc, etc.?” I seem to recall him saying, “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.” (Luke 9:23-24) and “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27, 33)

As Christians, are we just supposed to float along in our comfortable yachts doing good things and digging for worms instead of fishing? Or are we supposed to jump into the water to rescue the drowning? Is the Christianity we’re living the kind of Christianity Jesus came and died for? Or did we get off track somewhere along the way…and if so, how can we get back on track?? How can we change the world?

Which way is right?

What a world I live in. Here, if you have talent, good looks, a witty tongue, a quick mind or lots of money, you are deemed valuable. We stand and applaud you; we try to emulate you, saying that you must really be living your purpose. We think you have it all. Here in this upside-down world, I can be popular with others because of the witty things that I say. I am considered talented because I can play a few chords on an instrument and I can act like someone else on a stage. I could have a future, they say, in drama and/or music. I might be able to become a doctor. I could succeed at most anything that I put my mind to, or so I’m told. I have what it takes, according to them.
But what if this world isn’t reality? Sure, it may seem "smart". But what if there’s more to life than following your dreams, having fun and living for yourself? What if the best choice is not the "smart" choice? Is it possible to leave the "smart" world behind and tread an almost forgotten path full of hardship and trials? Is it possible that being "smart" and carrying yourself through life with your talents and brains is not the best choice? That maybe jumping into the deep end and relying on God’s grace to get you through is really the way to go? That in leaving it all behind, you will find more than enough? That when you die to yourself, to your dreams, to your hopes and plans, to your reputation, to your gifts, to your possessions, to your family and friends, to your comfort zone and to your very life...you can really start to live? Renounce all that you have...take up your cross...die to yourself...and follow me. That’s what Jesus said. But that’s not "smart"! Well, God uses the weak things to confound the strong, the foolish things to confound the wise. Maybe living in your ‘sweet spot’ is not all there is to life. Maybe there’s a different path to walk. Maybe you can jump into water deeper than your skills...maybe you can face challenges bigger than your strength. Maybe you can go farther than you can...maybe you can do things that you can’t. Maybe you can be part of something so much bigger than yourself. Maybe all it takes is faith in God...faith no bigger than a mustard seed.