Take Up Your Cross

Lisa Birch

It's a no-brainer.

If we know better, we should do the right thing.

But knowing and doing don't always connect.

That's because doing the right thing comes with a hefty price.

Sacrifice.

My sister once took a stand on her very lucrative paying job and got fired. I admired her for it, but I also remember that it cost her greatly. She put aside everything at stake and did the right thing even though it was uncomfortable, inconvenient and way more risky and complicated for everyone involved--herself, her family and the company.

Back then my sister's future looked bleak. Years later, she found herself much better off personally and professionally.

Jesus says in Mark 8:34: "Whoever 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 and the gospel's will save it."

If we take a good look, we'll discover that many of us struggle to deny ourselves in the least way with daily choices. Then we struggle even more with the big decisions.

We don't take up our cross, yet we speak of our commitment to God. How can we claim to be Christ followers when in essence the only one we're truly following is ourselves?

The cross is a symbol of how Jesus sacrificed His life for us. But it's also a symbol of how He expects us to give up our lives for Him.

To do the right thing even when it's difficult.
To submit to Him daily.
To publicly identify with Him.
To face the opposition and be willing to suffer for His sake.

Publisher of Vertical Fix online magazine, Lisa Birch has a passion for music with integrity. Along with her husband Chris, Lisa is the co-founder of Vertical Fix internet radio. A 15-year writer and editor, Lisa has contributed writings for corporate, creative, editorial and several ministerial environments.

For more information about Lisa, log onto www.verticalfix.com.