I had a disconcerting experience not long ago, when I saw a status update on Facebook:
"I long to die for Christ, so I may earn the martyr's crown...".
I thought, “Seriously? You want to die just so you can have a better reward in heaven?”
So often we try to do things "on our own".
A child struggles for independence and what do we hear the child saying?
"No! Let ME do it!"
Smiling, we then praise the child for his or her independence, realizing that, as they grow and mature, though independence has its place, they will discover that we are actually far more DEPENDANT than INDEPENDENT. But we still praise the individual effort. We think that’s important.
(Other cultures put more of an emphasis on the group, the team, the family, the community, the state, the nation. Traditional Japanese culture is a good example of this mind-set.)
We are SO hung up on that in American culture, however. The "American Dream" is based upon this, as are our standards for achievement and success. "He who dies with the most toys, wins". We praise someone like Donald Trump or Bill Gates, and idolize the "stars" of sports teams far more than the actual teams themselves. In our society, individual achievements are of far more importance than group efforts.
That desire for independence, that cultural bias of approval towards those who seem to have "pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps", is so ingrained in us - from childhood onwards - that we struggle with it for our entire our lives. Our very sense of self is caught up in this - why else would we even think of something like a "Pastor of the Year" award?
As disciples of Christ, in order to fully follow Him and to be indwelt by the power of the Holy Spirit, we MUST let go of all of that, we must lay our own will, desires, impulses and dreams at the foot of the cross. Scripture says we are to "die daily" - meaning, we are to lay aside our own agendas and, instead, take up the cause and submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, daily.
Herein lays the freedom of being a follower of the Way - that we no longer need to rely solely on our own endeavors, to "muddle through" in an attempt to be a success - and also our greatest struggle.
Jesus' disciples struggled with this, too.
Once, as Jesus and His disciples made their way to Capernaum from Caesarea, an argument broke out between the disciples. Jesus didn’t intervene immediately - He waited until they'd arrived where they'd be staying that night. He then asked them what they'd been arguing about on the road.
None of them were willing to admit to Jesus that they'd actually been arguing about who would be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. But Jesus already knew what the argument had been about. The debate was most likely initiated by Jesus’ earlier statement, in Caesarea, that his kingdom would soon be established.
I imagine that turned into quite an awkward conversation, rather quickly.
Calling a little child to Him, Jesus then said to His disciples that unless they became like the child, they couldn’t even enter the kingdom of heaven. This statement has been used so often by so many people to try to make all sorts of points, but there is only ONE point Jesus was trying to get across.
“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).
The disciples were competing and arguing for future positions in His kingdom, but Jesus told them He values humility, instead. In fact, if a disciple wanted to be pleasing to the Lord, he had to think of himself last and act as the servant of all.
What a contrast to what we are being told today! Our pulpits are filled with the idea of individual success being of more importance than living and acting, in sacrificial love - with a servant's heart.
"Be the best you that you can be - today!" is the call that draws many into a whirlwind of measuring one's "success" as a Christian by using material and physical blessings as a yardstick of faithfulness and favor from God. Many false teachers and “ministries” use this lure to draw thousands of desperate people to them and bilk them of millions in funds by advertising this idea. Never mind that this is the complete opposite of what all of Scripture teaches, most specifically against what our Lord Himself taught - we still strive for it.
Seminars, conferences, workshops all purport to help Christian men, women and children to be better than others, to rise above the heads and shoulders of their brothers and sisters. Books, DVD's, CD's all claim to have the "10 Top Ways To Succeed In Your Christian Life", or “25 Practices of the Successful Christian”.
Contrast this to what Jesus told His disciples!
Yes, children may strive for independence, but the qualities of children that Jesus focuses on as being as attributes for His Kingdom - for everyone - are those of childlike obedience & humilty - not striving for independent success. In fact, He tells us that, unless we can become humbly obedient - our place in the kingdom will invariably be at the foot of the line – if we’re in the line at all.
"Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the Will of My Father Who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21)
We are individually accountable to God for our actions. But our individual actions do not qualify us, do not justify us and do not save us. Only by faith - given by the grace of God, and not of ourselves, that by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His bodily resurrection form the dead - are we even granted the most basic favor of God - to not be cast into the fires and tortures of hell we have actually earned.
And some want to jockey for position on the heels of that?
Obedience and submission to God are the outpouring of a heart filled with stunned and repentant gratitude for His love and mercy towards us, all undeserving that it is. Desiring rewards for doing so is the attitude of the selfish, fleshly “old man of sin”.
Our independent will must be brought under subjection to and submission under His Will. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, we believe what He says. That means we don't follow the "way of our choice," but His Will alone. We don't worship after our desires, but as He directs. That is what faith means. We must believe that He is Lord, and - because He is Lord of Lords - that He has the right to command our obedience.
What you want, or don't want, doesn't matter, though God, in His infinite mercy and love, may grant you such things as you may desire.
What should matter? One thing: Are you devoted to doing what the Bible says, in everything you believe, teach and practice; by loving God with your whole being, loving others as yourself and doing the work of the Lord in preaching the gospel?
Because if you aren't doing those things - and are instead looking to further yourself or desiring things for own comfort or pleasures, then you are not "...as [a] little child...".
It is so easy to talk about what other people ought to do, or what we should be doing (with emphasis on the "you" part of "we"). But why should another follow if you aren't first "practicing what you preach" yourself?
I, myself, after most of a lifetime of having my back turned in active opposition to God and His kingdom, have no greater ambition than to hear those longed-for words, "Well done, good and faithful servant....". I don't long for a martyr's crown, or any other reward. If the Lord sees fit to only let me have a spot at the very gate of the City of God - the lowest of the low - I will have reward and riches beyond the dreams of avarice.
It will already be far more than I could ever deserve.
May the peace and mercy of our Lord be with you.
In His service,
Heidi M. Roberts, March 29, 2011
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