What you express is not only elegant but so true. The world has its rules. It also has its heroes, which so many of us try to emulate. Bob Dylan's song, "You've Got to Serve Somebody," highlights the fact that all of us, in one way or another, consciously or not, are trying to live up to some kind of image. Who are we bound to? With Jesus, we don't have to "live up" to him. He comes to us. He descends. He reaches down. All for the purpose of helping us to walk right along side him along the narrow way.
What a great question -- why do so many people think Jesus' way is hard ...
It is hard to live a life in which we are to follow someone else. The ways of the world tell us to forge ahead, to be top of the heap, creating (whether we care to admit it) a constant 'crabs in a barrel' situation. Forever striving to be the best, to make the most, to be seen more often (social media and its constant promotion of the selfie is one of the best and current examples) is the antithesis of what Jesus taught. Life is not about us but about His Kingdom. Life is not about telling others how great we are but how great He is. Life is not about living for all the excesses we can get our arms around but about gaining to give away to those who need it more to show His love. And for many, that doesn't feel as good. It feels 'hard'. It feels like 'rules'. However, the rules of the world are much more tedious than anything the Lord has put before His people, if only we would open our eyes and hearts to receive that Word.
What you express is not only elegant but so true. The world has its rules. It also has its heroes, which so many of us try to emulate. Bob Dylan's song, "You've Got to Serve Somebody," highlights the fact that all of us, in one way or another, consciously or not, are trying to live up to some kind of image. Who are we bound to? With Jesus, we don't have to "live up" to him. He comes to us. He descends. He reaches down. All for the purpose of helping us to walk right along side him along the narrow way.
What a great question -- why do so many people think Jesus' way is hard ...
It is hard to live a life in which we are to follow someone else. The ways of the world tell us to forge ahead, to be top of the heap, creating (whether we care to admit it) a constant 'crabs in a barrel' situation. Forever striving to be the best, to make the most, to be seen more often (social media and its constant promotion of the selfie is one of the best and current examples) is the antithesis of what Jesus taught. Life is not about us but about His Kingdom. Life is not about telling others how great we are but how great He is. Life is not about living for all the excesses we can get our arms around but about gaining to give away to those who need it more to show His love. And for many, that doesn't feel as good. It feels 'hard'. It feels like 'rules'. However, the rules of the world are much more tedious than anything the Lord has put before His people, if only we would open our eyes and hearts to receive that Word.