The price to pay

The world lives under an exchange constraint which is mainly represented by a good or a service against a sum of money. We are all aware of what, To buy a bag of rice, a kilo of meat or pay for university courses, we have to spend 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 do we invest? 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 don’t even know why they follow Jesus; but if you don’t know the reason, then you won’t know how far you can go in your relationship with Him; so it’s very likely that you’ll abandon Him along the way (Read John 6:66). Many people follow Jesus purely out of following and religion. They think, “I was born into this belief, I have nothing to lose 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 though 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 get a salary, because we must have enough to pay for all these obligations. Just as it seems more than obvious to you to pay your bills at the end of the month, it should seem equally obvious to you to work on 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. 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 given up on yourself? Your pride, your popularity, your reputation, your refusal to forgive, your addictions, etc.? You cannot be resurrected with Christ unless you first die 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 as such. It is not about blaming anyone. If you have fallen, you must get up, His grace is available. However, get 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 was able to do it, then so can I; because in reality, he has nothing more than you." I have noticed that today people tend to take 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 somewhere the aspirations you have. Do you aspire to perfection (I am sure that word scares you)? Take examples of perfection (Christ himself).

You can't want a chocolate cake and refuse the chocolate it's made of. To live a life that honors Christ, we need ingredients: prayer, meditation, worship, sanctification, love, consecration, 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 really want something, you'll find a way, if not, you'll find an excuse." How long will you find 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 have heard many say that those who talk too much about Jesus are not necessarily good Christians, I grant you that; but is this a point of view or just another excuse to avoid talking about Christ? The Bible says that: "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 really be 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, however he was still a shepherd. He had to fight Goliath and flee from Saul for several years before he could be on the throne. Daniel had to accept to enter the lions' den, his friends also had to accept the fiery furnace in order to honor God. Esther had to present herself before the king without invitation, thus taking the risk of being punished with death (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 are not ready (because who really is?) just ask the Lord for His grace and apply your heart to His word because that is how you will root yourself so that you can stand firm when the time comes.

Jesus Christ could say that he who has his commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves him (John 14:21). Love should be the primary 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 shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” Don't let your love grow cold no matter what it costs you.

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