It just hit me that it is the height of spiritual arrogance to even consider preaching on our text this week, Mark 8:31-38, in light of the suffering of Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.
With Christians losing their heads for Jesus in Egypt and being abducted in northern Syria, it seems really foolish to try and find some way to talk to comfortable North American Christians about taking up a cross and losing our lives for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel. Any sort of metaphorical “cross” we might imagine, any kind of “sacrifice” of our lives seems like a lame joke compared to the literal deaths and enslavement of fellow believers.
And I was just griping on Facebook about a mistaken bank charge of $8.45 and the time it will take to resolve it. Now as I read these words of the Lord asking me to join Him in cross-carrying, I feel chastened and ashamed at how petty some of my concerns are.
So for right now, I’m just going to let this text sit on me for a bit and try to discern what God might have to say to Christians like me when other Christians are experiencing the reality of this text much more deeply and painfully.