Your Way or Your Soul?

“Is anything worth more than your soul?” Jesus asks in Mark 8:37 (NLT).

Sit with that question for a sec. Is there?

I’m not sure I could count the ways I’ve traded pieces of my soul for the empty promises of things that can’t deliver the peace, joy, purpose, meaning & satisfaction (adventure and thrill, too) of following Jesus. I have tried so hard to find a way to do things my way while still getting all He promises, but there is just no way, and there’s so much pain and disappointment in the process.

If it’s not our way, like a Burger King Whopper, what is the way?

In this same passage in Mark 8, Jesus calls the crowd to join Him & His disciples and says:

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”

The cost for our soul is high. Jesus paid it on the cross for the salvation of our souls. It is a free gift that costs us nothing, but following Jesus might cost us everything. And it’s worth it. But we have to see things from an eternal or kingdom view. It’s what Jesus explains to Peter when He says to him in verse 33, "Get away from me, Satan!"

Can you imagine having Jesus say that to you when all you’re doing is standing up for how you see things and expect things to play out?!?!?

Then Jesus says, "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."

I’m thinking all of us are guilty of this and could have been the one to be rebuked by Jesus.

When we see things from merely a human point of view, we don’t see clearly. From a human point of view, Jesus’ way seems upside down and foolish. Unattractive even. But when we see with eyes He has opened, hear with ears He’s opened, and receive with the new heart He has given, we are able to see that His way is the only way to live right side up before Him, feet firmly fixed on the narrow way, cross on our shoulders, following Him on the path of abundant life.

I want THAT.

What about you? Do you see ways you lose your soul in order to have your way? Is there some part of you that sees the truth in Jesus’ words, even if you have no idea how to give up your life to save it? Here’s my prayer for us today :

Lord, give us eyes to see what You see so we can see that the cost of following Jesus is worth it. Giving up our own way is worth it. Saving our life and soul by giving it up for You is eternally worth it. Please help us to pick up our crosses, give up our lives, and follow You today.