Wednesday 11th June
Read Luke 9:23-27
“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 ‘Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’” (NIVUK)
We are not easily shamed. We resist embarrassment well. We curate how others see us carefully so as to avoid it. We volunteer information about our lives to others perfectly calibrated to maintain their good opinion. We do this without conscious effort. It comes naturally.
The transformation being effected in the lives of those who follow Jesus removes the need to curate our lives and protect our image. The pattern built into the Christian life, suffering and death, resurrection and glory, means that as we follow Jesus and walk the way He walked we no longer need to focus on ourselves. We have someone altogether better to follow.
