Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
When I was younger, my parents had a couple visit sometimes, and their son would play with me and my sisters. He always wanted to play one game in particular, called “follow the arrow.” The rules were quite simple: The person in front was the arrow, and the people behind needed to follow. We walked up and down, all around the three stories of our home, playing this game of “follow the arrow.”
What Jesus calls us to is a bit more complicated than that. He tells us we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. This is a high calling. In essence, we give up our lives to him in order to save them (8:35). We turn our lives over to him, allowing him to take the lead.
How good are you at following these instructions? I know I have room to grow. It isn’t easy to deny self, take up the cross we need to bear, and follow after him. It can be quite difficult. But this is the path that leads to life. Are you willing to do these things?
Following the leader in a game like “follow the arrow” isn’t too complex; you just follow what they are doing. But how good are you at following the best leader: Jesus?
Reflect on how well you are following Jesus.
Augustine Gidney is a Wesleyan pastor’s kid and recent graduate from Kingswood University, where she majored in counseling and children’s ministry.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
