sacrifice

I really get frustrated easily when I have to do something I'm not willing to do (basically, I'm spending time doing something when I could be doing something better). I think that I really live by economic principles - I do whatever gives me the greatest happiness, minimizing my own opportunity cost.

The thing that is tugging at my heart the most right now is the question: "Would I give up my life for Jesus?"

Now, when I hear that question, I normally imagine that story of that girl at Columbine who said she believed in Jesus with a gun pointed at her head, or the thousands of martyrs that have died for Jesus Christ. But I think I'm gaining a new perspective. Dying for Jesus isn't as half as hard as living for him. And that's what I think this question really suggests - giving up my life isn't referring to dying, but instead to the sacrifice in time my life requires. For me, sometimes the opportunity cost of following Jesus is much too high.

Unless He becomes more real to me, I cannot joyfully or wholeheartedly follow His commands. So that's what I need. To have Jesus as a friend walking by my side, that I could never forget why I'm living.