Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” (Luke 18:28)
We’ve heard the proverb that warns us about pride. Even as Christians, we sometimes battle the sin of pride. It’s easy to get so caught up in the knowledge that we have the security of eternity that we lose sight of what it is that we’re called to do while we remain here on earth.
The disciples willingly left their homes to follow Jesus. They left all their earthly possessions as well as their jobs and livelihoods because they caught the vision that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been waiting for. It was exciting and scary, all at the same time.
Following Jesus on earth, although it will give us eternity in heaven, will cost us something here on earth. In this passage, Peter wanted to make sure that Jesus realized all that they gave up to follow him. What Peter failed to realize, though, was that Jesus gave up his earthly possessions too. Yes, Jesus knew he was God’s Son and that he had a job to do, but he also left his earthly family, his home, his livelihood as a carpenter because he had a new job to do.
Our lives as Christians must be about building God’s kingdom here on earth. If we put our earthly comforts above this task, then we will fail to fulfill the call on our lives.
Live a life that demonstrates that the cost is worth the reward!
Angela Spangler is the director of Fairmount Campground of the Crossroad’s District of The Wesleyan Church. Her passion is to build community around the gospel of Christ.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
