It takes guts

7 March 2010

What does it take to be a real disciple in an imperfect world?

My answer is that it takes guts – loads of it.

If we want to live authentic lives of integrity, the first hurdle to overcome is ourselves.

Don’t demonise the world. Don’t blame everything on the Devil. For many of us, it is our own heart that is the problem and it takes guts for us to face up to it.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9)

We cannot claim the renewal of our minds if our hearts are not changed.

It takes guts to face up to our own sinful desires that may run contrary to God’s will. It takes guts to NOT make excuses for our shortcomings and it takes guts to admit that we failed to love God first. Most of all, it takes guts to forsake all our idols and let God call the shots in our lives.

A rich young ruler with “respectable” credentials wanted to follow Jesus. He seemed like a nice, decent and God-fearing guy.

But the rich young ruler failed to make the cut. (Read Matt 19:16-22)

Why? Because though he recognised his heart was possessed by his possessions, he lacked the courage to let Jesus deal with it.

To follow Christ will take every ounce of our energy, every fibre of our determination and every molecule of our inner courage.

No wishy-washy attitude. No half-hearted efforts. No adulterated heart.

IT TAKES GUTS TO FOLLOW JESUS.