At what point would you give Jesus up?

A story of keeping the faith

I heard a story recently that wrecked my heart.

Their friends were hosting another family’s kids, who were non-Christian. They were friends for years and saw each other regularly. Recently, through some conversations, they discovered that they held biblical beliefs about sexuality. They went and told their parents and the parents decided that they no longer wanted to be friends with them. They ghosted them and probably decided in their mind that their Christian beliefs were poisoning their kids.

And just like that, a friendship is lost. My heart went out to this family.

It can feel lonely following Jesus. I am reminded of many times in my own life where my Christian beliefs stood in contrast to the world in ways that cost me something. It cost me my friendships; it cost me money; it cost me social status, and much more. I was talking with my wife how, it might very well be the case where my own family will soon start ostracizing me because of what following Jesus requires.

All of us, like Peter, are eventually asked, “At what point would you give Jesus up?”

I am reminded that 1 Peter says that we are “foreigners and strangers” in this land. It doesn’t matter what country we live in, how many Christians there are, whether it’s a red state or a blue state, we are strangers here. Because this is not our home, people will look down on us, think us strange, and even hate us.

I was ruminating on this story, and I felt the tug of the Lord. He was probing me, testing me, and asking me: “At what point would you give me up?”

I am reminded that at many points in the life of those who follow Jesus, they will be asked that question. It was asked of Peter when he denied Jesus three times. It was asked of my friend who had to decide between keeping a friendship and keeping their faith.

I am reminded of the call and cost of following Jesus. He writes in Matthew 10:

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me
Matthew 10

The call to follow Jesus is the call to make him so first in our lives that everything else is in 10th place. There is no second place.

The older we are, the more we have to decide Jesus or something else. And worse, the battle lines become thinner and more subtle. It starts in the secret place of our hearts. And after running the race for so long, we look to the left or right, it can feel that we are running alone. Who else remains that is willing to make Jesus first and foremost?

I made a resolution in my heart. I said, “Jesus, even if I lose friends, family, jobs, and money, by your grace, I will never give you up.” I have seen his beauty, his magnificence, and am so convinced of his supremacy that, when push comes to shove, nothing is worth keeping.

Have you had a time in your life when you had to choose between Jesus or something else?

You were made for greatness,
Phil