Luke 9:23-24
[23] And he said to all, “If
anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow me. [24] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for my sake will save it.
I have heard some say, “I’d
rather burn out for Jesus than rust out,” as if those are the only two options.
That phrase is often accompanied by a reference to these verses. But there is
no glory in burning out for Jesus. Jesus himself took naps. Remember Jesus
sleeping in the boat? He took time for prayer. He took time to go away from the
crowds. The idea that we must serve to the neglect of our family and our physical
and emotional health is not what Jesus had in mind here.
He goes on to say in Luke 9:25-26,
[25] For what does it profit a
man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? [26] For whoever
is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he
comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Jesus’ point is not that we
should burn out rather than rust out. His point is that when the world rejects
us, we remain faithful. Our presentations of the gospel have often made
salvation about us. “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” But what if that
wonderful plan includes being a martyr for the faith? What if that wonderful
plan means being rejected by my family and friends because they are of a
different faith? What if that wonderful plan means moving away from my parents,
siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins to serve him somewhere else? What then? Am
I willing to go? Am I willing to serve? Am I willing to be faithful?
These verses aren’t about burning
out for Jesus versus rusting out for Jesus. They are about recognizing that
following Jesus isn’t about me. They are about letting go of my plans, my desires,
my dreams to follow his. They are about dying to my will in order to embrace the
will of God. Am I willing to go there? As a 19-year-old these verses challenged
me to the core and helped order the direction of my life. Now that I am 70+ may
I never abandon the path God has me on. I don’t plan to burn out or rust out
for Jesus. I plan to follow him faithfully wherever he leads and remain
spiritually and emotionally healthy in the process.
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