“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”
—Luke 9:23, ESV
When I was in sales I learned the phrase, “No is not necessarily negative.” It’s an interesting thought, but I don’t really think we understand it totally. We don’t like to hear the word “no”, because we live in an “instant on” society where we want our needs met right now.
In order to tell you how this phrase has slowly worked its way into my Christian life, I want to tell you a story. First, however, I’ll have to give you a little background.
My wife Stephanie and I have been blind from birth, but that hasn’t stopped us from living full and rich lives together. In fact, besides our blindness, we’re no different from you; we have the same wants and desires as anyone else.
But when I was a kid, I took this a little too far. I wanted to be accepted, so I tried my hand at football. That experiment didn’t go well at all.
I once took a shot at driving the family car. My sister and I formed a conspiracy, and after we planned it out, she pulled out the car clandestinely and drove to a dead-end street. Then when the time was right, she let me take the wheel. I don’t remember how my parents found out, but I’ll let you imagine the trouble she got into. I guess I thought I could do anything, so the word “no” wasn’t in my vocabulary.
But there was one time especially when I wish I had listened to reason. I was in high school, and if I remember correctly, the conversation I want to tell you about took place in the kitchen. So try to picture that scene in your mind.
“Mom,” I told her with my mouth full, “my class is going on a field trip to the Botanical Gardens.”
Then I asked her a question that might appear trivial, but it would continue to change my life down the road. “What does a cactus look like?”
The main thing that stood out, though, wasn’t her answer, as you might expect. It was the silence which filled the room afterwards.
When my mom recovered, she made it clear in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t to find out about a cactus by touching one. But when I went on the field trip, I bet you can guess what I did. If you’re still trying to figure it out, I’ll give you a hint–I still remember Mom picking thorns out of my hand for what seemed like eons. That was one of those things you just don’t forget.
In a similar way, I found out as I went along that life down here is filled with thorns, and I bet you have, too. Many of them are of our own making or are camouflaged, but they can appear enticing all the same. So how does the follower of Christ deal with them?
When unbridled passions for the things of this world blind us to the treasures of the next one, we need to think again about the Words Jesus spoke about taking up our crosses daily. Then compare that scripture with my story about feeling the cactus, for the two contain a similar message. The idea of taking up your cross meant dying to yourself by saying no to the temporal desires that wrongly influence us, just as I should have said no to feeling that cactus.
Back in the days of Jesus’ ministry, the cross wasn’t just a pretty piece of jewelry–it was a cruel instrument of death. In our culture, it would be similar to someone hanging a little electric chair charm around our necks for cosmetic reasons.
I wish I could tell you that after the cactus incident, saying no at the appropriate time became part of my vocabulary, but I can’t. Temptation is a real part of life, but I realize that when we say no to wrongful desires, we are often saying yes to the God who loves and accepts us.
Each of us wants to go ahead of God from time to time, but it is important to realize that He only wants our best. Therefore, by saying no, we can avoid many of the spiritual thorns which line our path.
Think of it in terms of making a heavenly investment. Just as you might say no to something that looks good when going to the bank so that you can say yes to something much better in the future, Jesus has a plan which is far superior.
But just as you would plan an earthly investment, planning is even more important in the spiritual realm. So whenever you face temptations that would draw you away from God, make it a habit to search His Word. And if you get a red light from God, remember the phrase, “No is not necessarily negative.”
God promises you and I a peace that this world knows nothing about, and the Bible tells us that if we draw close to Him, He will draw close to us. Do yourself a favor and let God bless you by making a heavenly investment plan today.
Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.mynvm.com and click on the PayPal button.
Finally, you’re always welcome to join our Tuesday night Bible study. These studies are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 6:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 313-209-8800. Our PIN is 8699032. We hope to talk with you soon!
If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.