“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Do you ever wonder why 90% of the work in a church is done by 10% of the people who are tired, overworked, and at the point of burn‑out? Most pastors have plenty of critics, but few volunteers who roll up their sleeves and say, “Put me to work! What needs to be done around here?”
My father‑in‑law spent more than 60 years in Christian work, and from the perspective of a lifetime of experience, figured it out. Part of the reason, believed Pop, is that people don’t know the difference between burdens and crosses, and not understanding what they are to do with each, they get confused and eventually powerless and tired. Consumed with the burdens they bear, they never have the emotional energy or the desire to get involved in the lives of other people.
Do you remember the words of Jesus, found in Luke 9:23, when He said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me”? The cross, believed Pop, represents what we willingly do for the cause of Jesus Christ. And what are burdens? Burdens are the cares of your life. They are part of the warp and woof of living today, and almost everyone is confronted with a burden of one kind or another—perhaps a member of your family, perhaps financial, perhaps it’s a physical handicap. But we confuse burdens and crosses.
Have you ever heard anyone say, perhaps at a prayer group, “My husband is my cross”? “No,” Pop would say, “He’s not your cross, he’s your burden!” And what does the Bible tell us to do with our burdens? Cast them at the feet of Jesus, trusting Him to do what we cannot do! 1 Peter 5:7 is so clear, “Casting all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you,” and to that, add the impact of Psalm 55:22, that says, “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He will sustain you” (NASB). Not allowing Christ to intercede in bearing the burdens of life, we are effectively punched out, unable to respond to the needs of the world around us, and overwhelmed by the burdens which we bear, many of which are not God’s doing at all—they’re ours.
“Take up your cross, daily” said Jesus, “and follow Me.” May I ask you to evaluate your ministry or Christian service for just sixty seconds? What are you actually doing to help the cause of Christ? Not what are you eventually going to do, or what would you like to do; rather, what are you actually doing? If you were suddenly removed from this world, exactly what would presently go undone, and whose life would no longer be touched because you weren’t there?
Alright—one more question: What are you going to do about it? I’m not suggesting you ignore your responsibility to your aged parents. The Jews did that and Jesus rebuked them for it. I’m not asking you to get involved at church and fail to be the mother you should be, but I am suggesting that you evaluate your life of Christian service. Have you taken up a cross, doing something for the cause of Christ because you have chosen to joyfully follow in the steps of Jesus, living for Him, serving, helping someone outside of your immediate circle of responsibility? If not, start looking around you. Like Charlie Brown, who said, “I’m overwhelmed with insurmountable opportunities!” you will soon see a multitude of possibilities to get involved in; it will be the most rewarding experience of your life. Touching someone’s life as you develop a personal ministry is tremendously rewarding.
Resource reading: Psalm 55:16-23.
