Sunday, September 07, 2025
Sunday Reflection: Our Earthly Reward
There is a broad belief in our country that if you follow Jesus you will prosper and be successful in the world. It is manifested most egregiously in the "prosperity gospel" sects, but to some degree is within all of us, when we pray for a success or to avoid a humiliation in our own lives. When athletes thank God or Jesus for their successes, the message is clear: I am marked as favored by God because I am successful.
Jesus taught the opposite.
He said that if we are to follow him, we need to "take up our cross" (Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34)-- and think about what that means! Carrying his cross for Jesus meant to carry the means of his execution. He said that we must give up all that we love, including family. (Luke 14:25-33). And riches? Jesus said we can't have both wealth and faith (Luke 16:13).
"The gate is narrow and the way is hard..." (Matthew 7:13-20)-- that is how Jesus described discipleship.
We all want life to be easy, and feel favored. We want to sit at the best table at the banquet. But if we choose Jesus, that is not the life we are choosing. Instead, we are choosing one of self-sacrifice, of going into prisons, of giving our clothes and money to those who need it more.
I have failed to live this out too often. But I'm not going to lie about what it is Jesus asked.
