Devotional: LIFE’S BALANCE SHEET
“What profit will it bring a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” — Mark 8:36.
SIMON PETER had been asking our Lord to spare himself the suffering He had mentioned, but He replied that it could not be for Him or any other person who would follow His example. Based on His deep experiences, He explained that everyone must make the same decision as the other to live the best life possible for themselves and for others.
A man does not have to cross the Cross. It is only our responsibility to follow God’s lead. It is not a unique piece of asceticism. The cross is the refusal to satisfy our self-interest; the continual dying to pride and self-indulgence in order to follow Christ in His redemptive mission to save men. It is only when men live this way that they can find the truest, most meaningful and greatest meaning of their lives. We become the most unhappy and miserable people when we live to save ourselves, build warm nests, avoid any discomfort or annoyance, make money for our own enjoyment and create schemes for our pleasure. There are many people who give up on their joy and live a life of self-interest and pleasure seeking, only to discover that their ability to enjoy the moment has diminished and their lives have plunged into despair and gloom. They have lost their souls.
It is possible to save your life by saving your palace from destruction when a fire is raging. Many people are creating palaces of wealth and pleasure for themselves, but they are losing the ability to enjoy their best sensibilities. Our Lord asks: What is it worth to have the whole world and lose one’s soul?
However, refusing to follow the world’s policy will bring on us hatred and dislike, which many people have experienced before. And yet, to reject Christ’s life-style policy and to shamefully admit that we are His disciples, will ultimately lead to our rejection. How can our Lord use us to help him in His great plans for the future, if He has failed us in our limited human life?
PRAYER
We have been disappointed, O God, because the cisterns we have made for ourselves have not provided the water we need to quench our thirst. We may drink from the Fountain of Living Water. We may eat the Bread of Life from Thee! Let the Light of Life shine on our hearts so that we may walk in Thy light. AMEN.