Once upon a time, I thought that being a follower of Jesus meant I could believe in Him and keep everything the same. I thought that believing in Jesus was a private affair, to be kept to church pews on Sunday mornings and prayers at bedtime.

And then I came to understand that believing in Christ means everything changes, and that Satan would love nothing more than for all believers to keep their faith private and hushed. I realized that I was letting the opinions of the world dictate my faith, instead of Christ Himself. I came to know my title as a child of God meant that not only should I proclaim the good news of Christ, but I should do so boldly.

To be honest, that’s a large part of why I began this blog. I was feeling pulled to put my faith into words and share it publicly. I don’t necessarily know who’s eyes may read my words and what opinions may be formed, but for the first time, I’m confident enough in my faith to put it out there, regardless of what may come (good or bad). 

When I think about potential repercussions of sharing my faith, I return to these words from Jesus:

“Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.”

Matthew 10:34-36

When I came across the above verse for the first time, it stopped me in my tracks. I had misunderstood the work and purpose of Jesus coming to earth as a baby, growing, gathering disciples, and preaching the Word of God. I thought He came to heal and save, so why did He say He didn’t come to bring peace?

I naively thought that Jesus, as a man who walked the earth, was revered and followed because of His miracles and wisdom. This may be partly true, but it leaves out the cost many of his disciples and followers paid in order to believe in Him. Not everyone pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, and not everyone was tolerant of those who did. There was a real cost to following Jesus and proclaiming His name above all others, up to and including death. Many hated Jesus Himself, who of course was eventually killed for what He proclaimed.

While much has changed since the days of the twelve disciples, much is still the same. There remains a cost to acknowledging Christ. We live in a world that seems more closely aligned with Satan than with God. We live among neighbors who are lost, confused, broken, and trying to live for this world rather than for Heaven. Read stories from the Old Testament, or Paul’s letters to various churches and believers in the New Testament, and you’ll see clear parallels between the world then and the world now.  

If there is such a cost to following Jesus, why did the disciples leave everything to (literally) follow Him? Why do people give things up today to be a believer of Jesus and follow His ways? Knowing it could cause strife in families, marriages, between colleagues or with your boss, even with your own children, why? Doesn’t that sound hard and uncomfortable?

Yes and yes. 

The reason is simple: Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

If we want to be healed, saved, and brought closer to God, we have to accept Jesus as Lord, take up our cross, and follow Him. There is no other way. While we are not the original twelve, commissioned as disciples by Jesus and following Him in the flesh, we have been given the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey His commands (Matthew 28:18-20). 

How can we do this if we are keeping our faith private, or if we think Jesus cannot be let outside of the church doors? How could we possibly be ashamed of His glory and goodness and choose to mute our faith instead of sharing it?

Jesus knew then, and still knows now, that to “take up your cross” means you will likely be met with scorn and hate from the world when you publicly identify with Him. The “sword” He brings is the true Word of God, which pierces through darkness, separates the godly from the ungodly, and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). 

For people who prefer to live in the darkness of lies, a morality of their making, or their own version of Jesus, you can see how followers of Jesus Christ proclaiming biblical truth could make things quite uncomfortable for them. It could literally shatter their entire fabricated reality. Enter ruffled feathers, strained relationships, and outright hate. 

Now I understand what Jesus meant when He said He did not come to bring peace. Believers will have a hard time encountering peace while wielding the sword that threatens the evil; we are tasked to follow Jesus and share His truth, which is at direct odds with wickedness.

And so, I will continue to acknowledge Christ by written and spoken word, continue to share His truth, and try my best to live His ways. It may bring burdens, but it might also bring more believers. Regardless of cost, I will walk the path of Christ because He changes everything.

This is why we take up that cross and follow.

“And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Matthew 10:38