One of the defining questions of the Christian life is not whether we believe in love, but whether we are willing to practice it when it becomes costly.
Most people admire love. We celebrate it in stories, songs, and speeches. Yet every meaningful expression of love asks something of us. Parents sacrifice sleep for their children. Friends show up when it is inconvenient. Spouses choose faithfulness in difficult seasons. Love always requires something.
This past Sunday, we reflected on Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:24–26:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
These words would have shocked Jesus’ first disciples. The cross was not a piece of jewelry or a religious symbol. It was a sign of suffering, shame, and surrender. Yet Jesus teaches that following Him means allowing our lives to be shaped by the same self-giving love that ultimately led Him to Calvary.
That kind of discipleship runs against the grain of our culture. We are often encouraged to protect ourselves, preserve our comfort, and avoid anything that feels costly. Jesus points us in a different direction. He calls us to trust that true life is found not in self-preservation but in self-giving.
We considered several ways this truth takes shape in everyday life:
Forgiveness costs pride.
Generosity costs comfort.
Reconciliation costs vulnerability.
Truth-telling may cost popularity.
Faithfulness may require sacrifice.
None of these things are easy. Yet they reflect the character of Christ, who loved us first.
The good news of the gospel is that Jesus never asks us to make a sacrifice He has not already made Himself. The One who calls us to take up our cross first carried His own. The One who calls us to love sacrificially first loved us sacrificially.
And because of the resurrection, we can trust that no act of faithful love is ever wasted.
This week, consider where God may be inviting you to take a first step.
Perhaps it is a phone call you’ve been avoiding.
Perhaps it is an apology that needs to be offered.
Perhaps it is an act of generosity, encouragement, or service.
Whatever form it takes, remember that discipleship is not simply believing in Jesus. It is following Him.
The question is not whether following Jesus will cost us something.
The question is whether He is worth it.
And the answer of the gospel is a resounding yes.
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us first. Give us the courage to follow You in the way of the cross. Teach us to forgive, to serve, to reconcile, and to trust that no act of faithful love is ever wasted in Your kingdom. Help us to take the next step You place before us, knowing that You go with us. Amen.
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