Jesus never asked for part of us. He didn’t say, “Follow me… when it’s convenient.” He didn’t
offer discipleship as a side hustle or a once-a-week commitment. He asked for our lives.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow
me.” —Luke 9:23
In the United States, that call to “take up your cross” often gets translated into giving up a
weekend, taking a pay cut, living in a less trendy neighborhood, or enduring a little discomfort
for the sake of obedience. We wrestle with those things—and rightfully so, because Jesus does
ask us to lay down comfort and convenience.
But around the world, that same “yes” to Jesus comes with a price tag that we in the West rarely have to count.
For a child in a rural village, saying “yes” to education and discipleship through a Christian
program could mean defying family expectations, cultural norms, or even religious persecution.
For a local pastor in a closed country, saying “yes” means daily risking imprisonment or
worse—for preaching the name of Jesus.
For a young girl, saying “yes” to the hope and value she learns in Christ might mean breaking
cycles of abuse or poverty that have held generations captive.
Their yes literally means life and death.
And here’s the part that should stop us in our tracks:
Our yes can mean life and death for them too.
Our willingness to give—our time, our resources, our voice, our platform, our finances—might
seem like a spiritual “extra.” But to someone else, it might mean a meal. A safe place. A
scholarship. A shot at a future they never imagined possible.
When Jesus asks for our lives, He’s not just asking us to give up something. He’s inviting us to
give into something eternal.
The Kingdom of God isn’t a theory. It’s not a warm fuzzy feeling. It’s a movement of love that
flips the world upside down—one yes at a time. So the question isn’t whether Jesus is asking for your life. He already has.
The question is: What does your “yes” make possible?
