Relooking into the marketplace Part Two: The Cross

Just before I continue from where I left off last time, I would just want to make a disclaimer here. I am currently not working and I have to admit that I have no much experience in the marketplace. What I am writing here is really a result and reflection of what I have read and studied from the bible and what I have heard from teachings and seminars, together with my own limited experience in the marketplace, namely my school up to now and also what I have heard from people all over the place.

We looked into identity and mission last post. Before I actually carry on with the rest of the marketplace reflection, I think we need to know what does it mean to be disciple of Jesus.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. - Luke 9:23-26

The Amplified version quotes this:

And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].

For whoever would preserve his life and save it will lose and destroy it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he will preserve and save it [from the penalty of eternal death].

For what does it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and ruins or forfeits (loses) himself?

Because whoever is ashamed of Me and of My teachings, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in the [threefold] glory (the splendor and majesty) of Himself and of the Father and of the holy angels.

I quote this, cos Benjamin Pwee reminded me of this when he said in the marketplace theology seminar a few days ago that the marketplace must be a cross that we Christians have to take up. It is true being a Christian is not easy, let alone being a Christian in an environment which may not necessarily be very friendly to you.

Honestly, this verse reminds me of another verse:

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. - 2 Corinthians 11:23-31

Yes, there is one major cost of following Christ, and the cost is the cross that we have to take up, in our personal lives. When Jesus said to take up the cross daily, He was talking to the apostles. He was effectively telling us, after the apostles acknowledged that He is the Son of the Living God, that acknowledging Him and being a disciple of Christ has its cost. We can choose the easy way out and run away and therefore gain the whole world. But if we really call our disciples of Christ, if we really understand our very own identity in Christ, then the question that bears down on us is whether can we really bear the cost?

Look at Paul. I think Paul is the best example of bearing the cross of Christ. He said it very clearly in 2 Corinthians and as well as other epistles. I think Paul is one man who was willing to bear anything in order to see the gospel being preached. Looking at what he has suffered for Christ, I wonder if anything we are going through, whether in workplace or in school, can in any ways compared to that?

My answer is no. Especially in Singapore, we dun necessarily go through what Paul had gone through.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. - John 13:35

One last verse to look at before I end off this segment. Jesus said it very clearly that if we love one another, the people around us will know that we are His disciples. As we bear the cross of Jesus, I think we need to remind ourselves that we will not be well-liked in this world. Yet, it should not mean that we go on and only love the people whom we like or the people who encourage us in church. All the more, bearing the cross of Jesus, becoming His disciples will mean that we need to transform and allow our mind to be renewed as said in Romans 12. We need to bear in mind that people in the workplace, whom we dun like, if they are non-christians, may well one day become a brother or sister in Christ. In that case, are we going to see them in such a lens or see them in their lens?

I begin to think that I am blogging more about Christian living than marketplace theology but upon some reflection, being in the marketplace is part of Christian living. They are not mutually exclusive.

Till the next part, akan datang.