The price to pay

The world lives under a constraint of exchange which is mainly represented by a good or a service against a sum of money. We are all aware that, to buy a bag of rice, a kilo of meat or even pay for university courses, we must pay money. However, what about our Christian life? In material goods we invest money, in human relationships we invest time and energy, but when it comes to our relationship with God, what are we investing? In accepting Jesus Christ, it is important that you ask yourself two major questions: Why do I follow Jesus and how far am I able to go to support this choice that I have made? The reality is that many do not even know why they follow Jesus; but if you do not know the reason, then you will not know how far you could go in your relationship with Him either; So it is very likely that you will abandon him along the way (Read John 6:66). Many people follow Jesus only out of conformity and religion. They say to themselves: "I was born into this belief, I lose nothing by staying in it." But contrary to what you may believe, we lose a lot by following Jesus.

Perhaps when you hear the term "price tag" you feel as if you are being asked to give something in exchange for your salvation, but that is not what it is; for salvation is a free gift from God. Rather, I am speaking to you of the reality surrounding the life of a child of God. We have given our lives to Jesus; we have said to Him, "I accept You as my Lord and Savior." However, we have taken the titles and abandoned the responsibilities that come with them.

Society has taught us that it is our duty to pay our taxes, our water, electricity, and heating bills. It has taught us that it is normal to work 8 hours to earn a salary, because we must have enough to pay all these obligations. Just as it seems more than obvious to you to pay your bills at the end of the month, it should also seem obvious to you to work towards being the person God expects you to be by paying the price that comes with it.

Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Living for Christ requires that we sow something. But what is it? It is simply dying to self. "...If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself..." (Luke 9:23). I told you earlier that we lose a lot by agreeing to follow Jesus. We lose the "we." Have you renounced yourself? Your pride, your popularity, your reputation, your refusal to forgive, your addictions, etc.? You cannot be resurrected with Christ if you have not first died with Him. Now, there is no salvation without resurrection, and there is no resurrection without death.

In the walk with Christ, many have easily said: "Yes Lord, I want to follow You," but few have actually lived like that. It is not about blaming anyone. If you have fallen, you must get back up, His grace is available. However, get back up with the determination to do better by His grace which is already working in you. I said one day to my little sister: "You know, when you have a goal to achieve, always take as a model someone better than you, that way you will tell yourself that if he could do it, then so can I; because in reality, he has nothing more than you." I have noticed that today people tend to use as examples those who have failed and failed to justify the reason why they too did it: "No, but you know, Solomon had several wives; Peter was a disciple but he lied three times, etc." The examples you give demonstrate, in some way, the aspirations you have. Do you aspire to perfection (as this word scares us)? Take examples of perfection (Christ himself).

You can't want a chocolate cake and refuse the chocolate it's made from. To live a life that honors Christ, we need ingredients: prayer, meditation, worship, sanctification, love, dedication, etc. You can't accept being a child of God and refuse to live according to His Word. A wise woman once said, "If you truly want something, you'll find a way; if not, you'll find an excuse." How long will you keep finding excuses? "I didn't have time today to meditate, I didn't feel like praying, I don't know how to talk to people, so I can't evangelize, etc." The price to pay involves dying to the flesh, in order to live by the Spirit (Gal 6:8).

Following Jesus Christ means carrying your cross every day. Your identity, your thinking, your habits, everything must be centered on CHRIST. I've heard it said a lot that those who talk too much about Jesus aren't necessarily good Christians, I grant you that; but is that a point of view or just another excuse to avoid talking about Christ? The Bible says, "Out of the abundance of the heart, our mouth speaks." In other words, if you love Jesus Christ with all your heart, your mouth will not be able to contain it.

Let us not look at the stories of the Bible as spectators, but rather be truly inspired by the realities that flow from them. Following God is not a rosy journey, where we live a simple, quiet life without trials and difficulties. David was anointed as King of Israel, yet he was still a shepherd. He had to fight Goliath and flee Saul for several years before he could take the throne. Daniel had to agree to enter the lions' den, and his friends also had to accept the fiery furnace in order to honor God. Esther had to appear before the king uninvited, thus risking the death penalty (Esther 4:11) so that God's people could find justice. There is always a price to pay. But the question is: Are you ready to pay that price? If you're not ready (because who really is?) just ask the Lord for His grace and apply your heart to His Word because that's how you put down roots so you can stand firm when the time comes.

Jesus Christ could say that he who has his commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves him (John 14:21). Love must be the main reason why you follow God. It is the love you have for God that will allow you to pay the price for a Christ-like life. Matthew 24:12-13 says: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But whoever endures to the end will be saved.”. Don't let your love grow cold no matter what it costs you.

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”