The Disciple’s Dilemma
The heart wants what it wants. This phrase is tossed around, defending the behaviors and choices of the world around us. We toss and turn in a world that is difficult to discern. Struggling to stay afloat in the chaos of contemporary culture, Christians find themselves lost in the lies. Our hearts are caught up in things contrary to Christ. Relying on our heart’s desires, we fail to discern the will of God. Christ calls us into discipleship, but living as a disciple demands a drastic reorientation of our hearts.
Our lives revolve around the wistful wishes of what we love. Sports, food, popularity, money, and romance, exceedingly capture and captivate our hearts. We spend every ounce of energy seeking these “loves” in our lives. We love pleasure. We love comfort. The heart wants what it wants, but at what expense? Wooed by what the world wages as worthwhile, we lose sight of the will and way of God. While we may not think we worship the world, we must be aware of the reality that it is often “good” things that get between us and God. This is the disciple’s dilemma.
In Luke 14, we find the disciple’s job description. Among the list of callings and qualifications, we find a phrase difficult to deal with. Jesus states, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Jesus surely could not expect this of us, could he? The cost of discipleship is not cheap. In fact, the call to discipleship requires discipline, sacrifice, and surrender to such an extreme extent that we must being willing to give up anything and everything for Christ. The disciple must be willing to choose Christ over everything. This is the reality of Christianity. For some, choosing Christ means condemnation from their family. They must leave, becoming disowned, shunned, or persecuted by the ones they love. The stakes are high, but if Christ is the priority, we must be prepared to pay any price. Since this is the expectation, we cannot afford to settle our hearts on anything but Christ. Disciples become damaged when they deem things other than Christ to be more worthy of their time, attention, or love. This is out-of-order discipleship, denying our duties because we are too distracted and disoriented to fulfill our purpose. This is the dilemma. This is a derailed disciple.
We must reorient. As disciples we must fix our eyes on things above, establishing our hearts on things eternal. The problem comes when we establish our hearts outwards, not upwards. If our hearts are oriented toward things of this world, we become distracted. Devoted discipleship requires the denial of our desires. In Matt. 6:19-21, Jesus leaves us with this instruction:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (ESV)
Notice the final phrase. Our hearts follow the things we treasure. There is a yearning in our hearts that only Christ can quench. If we fill this void with worldly substitutes, we are destined for destruction. These substitutes ruin and rust, ultimately separating us from the Savior. They destabilize us. They disorient us. A world-oriented heart cannot sustain a disciple identity because we cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). Central to the criteria of discipleship is prioritization. Christ comes first. Anything that is placed before him threatens our viability. Disciples are called to make more disciples, but we must make sure the disciples we are making are disciples of Christ, guided by his commands and his ways, not the ways of a wayward heart.
We must reorient our hearts. The cost is clear. It is time to commit and carry your cross.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:1-3, ESV)
Consider these questions:
What are you willing to do for Christ? What does this reveal about your commitment to Christ?
How are you actively establishing your heart in Christ?
In what ways do you need to reorient your mind and your heart?
