At What Cost

My thoughts are scattered this morning on this topic; I hope by the time this post is ended, I will make sense of it! I'm working through fruits of the Spirit using a Beth Moore Bible study guide. This week started on "gentleness" and today it was dealing with sacrificial submission.

gentleness-complete surrender to God's will and way in your life. The term basically means to stop fighting God. (Beth Moore)

Some of the scripture this morning dealt with Peter and Paul; and how Christ told them what they would suffer for His sake. Peter was crucified upside down and Paul was beheaded. I was putting this into context of our world today-in America! No, we aren't put to death for our faith in America, but there is a cost. I was looking through Matthew and how often Christ dealt with people all day; putting His personal comfort and rest aside.

Matthew 14 caught my attention. John the Baptist was beheaded and the disciples came to tell Jesus. He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. When the people found out where He was; they followed. He put aside his personal pain and had compassion for the people.

How many times has someone been talking to me and inside I'm screaming because I have "important things to do". I see someone in need and hope someone else will take care of it because I have "a schedule to keep".

My point in this discombobulated post today is this: I need to be aware of and have compassion for "the people". Even if it inconveniences me and my schedule. I do believe in America it will "cost" us something to be a follower. We need to have Christ's mindset and focus on what is really important.