The Loss due to Christianity

A young rich man approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do to attain eternal life. Jesus, looking at him, loved him. Jesus knew all men, so He could tell that this was a just man. Jesus told him to keep the commandments of which the rich man replied that he had. Jesus then asked him to go sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and come follow Him. The young man left sorrowful for he had great possessions. He refused to take the loss due to Christianity. He refused to give his riches, that he may gain exceedingly abundantly, the riches of God’s Kingdom which far surpasses material wealth.

As a Christian, you are called to take the loss due to Christianity. Sometimes, this may be the loss of close friends, the loss of a certain lifestyle, the loss of material possessions, the loss of the cool factor. The loss of reputation, loss of friends. Even the loss of life. As painful as that may seem, consider what you will gain in return. A crown of righteousness. A seat with the master. An elevated soul living high and above the cares of this world. There is much to be gained as as result of any loss you sustain due to Christianity.

Greatness does not come lightly. It requires that you make sacrifices of time, interests, and – sometimes – possessions. Patrick Sean

Abraham had to separate himself from his family and even from his cousin Lot. And look what He got in return? “The Father of many nations”. The disciples forsook their careers to follow Jesus. Look at what they got. They became heralds of evangelism. Conduits of God’s living word to millions of people spanning multiple generations. The master Himself, Jesus, gave up everything. He gave up His home in heaven to become a vagabond on earth, not having a place to sleep. He had no shelter but has now become our shelter, our banner even.  He took the lowest name on earth and he gained the highest name in heaven. He was of a lowly birth “illegitimate”, born in a stable. He went to the lowest city and the lowest men looked down upon Him. He was lowered into a tomb and left for dead yet He is raised far above the clouds to sit on the right hand side of God. He is given a name that is above every other name that at the mention of that name, every knee, in heaven, earth and under the earth – shall bow.

 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whombe glory for ever. Amen. – Romans 11:36