“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will LOSE it, but whoever LOSES his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
I think society has an attitude of self-preservation. When we’re feeling down about ourselves, chances are we can hop on Instagram and find any affirmation for our procrastination and lack of dedication. I know I have grown quite comfortable with these motivational Instagram stories that pet my ego. Is this not creating a habit of total self-gratification? If that is the attitude I am carrying, then I will only entertain a mindset that ultimately only benefits me, and even then, it will disappoint me in the long run. I’m thinking through this question: what if, instead of seeking to preserve myself and make sure that I am completely taken care of on every side of my life, why don’t I aim to give what I can even if it costs me something? If Jesus is saying I will only GAIN life, what am I really “losing” by giving it?
Disclaimer: I don’t believe the Lord is asking me to give up all my belongings, always drag myself in shame and guilt, and never enjoy another manicure again.
What I AM saying is that if I’m taking the Scripture at face value before I take a hand-lettered picture from Pinterest at face value, I think I would find myself giving a little more than I do now and worrying a little less about what I will gain. When I give to Jesus, it becomes HE who provides for my image, career, social media followers, and any other possible factor I could think of.
Lord, teach me how to be a Loser.