Monday, September 20: From the heart

One of the electives I took in college was in political science, studying South Africa and apartheid. I signed up for the course not because I had any interest, but because it fit a place in my schedule and satisfied a requirement toward my degree. Unbeknownst to me, the professor was one of the world’s leading opponents of apartheid, in which all blacks in the nation were treated as sub-humans. Though I had grown up in the American South, and seen hateful behavior based on race, I had not drawn the correlation of South Africa resembling the United States during slavery. On that first day, when the professor spoke, he wept. The class changed for me in that moment, as hearing his passion, I knew that I was going to receive a gift. When people speak from their intellect, we hear facts, figures and statistics. On the other hand, when people speak from their hearts, we hear about issues they would be willing to die for.



Many Christians have died for their beliefs. In fact, all of the apostles except for John died the death of a martyr. Though it might seem odd for God to allow many of His most zealous followers to die that way, we lose sight of the volumes spoken in those actions. How strongly did these men believe that they had walked with their risen Savior? Well, they believed so strongly that they were willing to lose their lives without hesitation or doubt! When Peter saw Jesus after the resurrection, Jesus told Peter how he would die:


Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
23 Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”
John 21:17-23


Peter might have struggled when receiving those words from His Lord, comparing his own death to that of his friend John, but when it came time, the struggle was far behind him. Early church fathers Origen and Tertullian reveal to us in their writings that Peter was crucified in Rome. Yet, feeling unworthy to die the same death as Jesus, Peter asked to be crucified upside down!


When you speak of Jesus, do you speak with complete commitment? He gave His life, so that you could be a part of His inheritance. When we reflect on our lives without Him, and see the corresponding sadness and brokenness, it is a wonderful reminder of who He is in our lives. Yes, there are trials, severe at times. Yet the joy of the Lord is our strength. He carries us through each hardship, and draws us closer to Him in the process. We cannot argue someone to the Lord, but we certainly can love them to Jesus. More than any words can express, let His light shine in your life so radiantly that people can see the love in your heart, through every action. We lose sight of the immense gift He has given when we mindlessly and methodically go through each day. How would you feel if you won the lottery? The gift He has given is so much more valuable, and that gift should fill us with immense joy!

We might be willing to die for our dearest friends and relatives, but are we willing to die for our enemies? Jesus gave His life willingly for sinners, who did not even believe in Him. If we believe with the same conviction that the apostles did, the world should be able to see that we are set apart, for we have walked with Jesus. That walk includes the cross, for we were baptized into His death (Romans 6:3). Are you willing to endure the cross to follow Jesus?


Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24


Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13