I wish to encourage you to look at your world through Jesus’ eyes. It’s understandably easy for us believers to become so accustomed to the way the world thinks, that we begin observing, reasoning, and responding to life the way the world does, but in Jesus name of course.
Worldly preconditioning sways believers all too easily into evaluating life through the lens of worldly thinking, worldly values, and worldly perspectives of who God and His Holy Word are. Unfortunately, this often comes naturally and comfortably to us. This unwittingly results in confusing, then conflicting biblical with personal convictions, which invariably gravitates the believer away from a pure, undivided devotion to the Lordship of Christ and the authoritative sufficiency of Scripture.
Moses serves as a good example of one who counted the cost and concluded that Christ’s way had nothing in common with the world’s ways. Moses acting in faith …refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24-27).
Consider these brief observations:
- Moses looked at his life through the lens of eternity, he evaluated his circumstances with the scales of divine justice and holiness, he then determined his course of action based upon the intangible integrity and courage found in God.
- Egypt simply was not in the same race as Moses. Moses’ priorities leaned NOT toward earthly pleasures offered by Egypt, but toward the eternal wealth found through considering the supremacy of Christ.
- Moses was enabled by God to endure the struggles and reproaches he suffered because he was compelled by an unworldly way of thinking. He was driven by a clear vision of who His God was and the infinite value of His heavenly Saviour.
- There was to be no compromise, no blending of philosophies, no accommodating of Egyptian values. It was God’s way for Moses!
Mark 8:33-34 records Jesus, having just been rebuked by Peter, turning and seeing his disciples, he (Jesus) rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (34) And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Peter most likely thought that he was reacting to Jesus news of the upcoming trials and crucifixion in an appropriate manner. However, Jesus wasn’t interested in hiding from the painful realities about to unfold. Peter had only just declared to Jesus that “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29), now Jesus needed Peter to apply that same courage in acknowledging His identity, to dealing with reality, as ugly as that may have been. Peter, like us, needed to deny his natural way of thinking about Christ and life, in preference to denial of self and a willingness to take up his own personal cross of crucifixion if needed in following Jesus as Lord. There simply was no room for simplistic marsh-mellow philosophy with Jesus who was heading for Calvary.
As Jesus rightly pointed out, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (37) For what can a man give in return for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37). Jesus mission on earth 2000 years ago is precisely the same as it is now, through the reconciling ministry (2 Corinthians 5:18) of the church, to turn lost sinners from living for self to living for the glory of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Jesus’ rescue mission of mankind. Worldly thinking says that the pleasures of sin are worth sacrificing your soul.
It’s far too easy to compromise clear-cut biblical, Christ centred gospel truth, in an attempt to blend worldly ideals with God centred truth. Taking up our cross and following Jesus begins with looking at your life through His eyes, exchanging earthly priorities with heavenly ones, replacing man-centred thought processes with Jesus defined and determined ones.
Be encouraged to invite Christ to make you content with being different for His sake, not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewal of your minds… (Romans 12:2). Daily seeking to let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).
See your life as Christ sees it, and enjoy the privilege for His glory!