Are you a follower of Jesus or just a sympathizer of his principles?

At one point, Jesus said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Being a follower of Jesus at that time meant leaving home to walk and live with the Lord throughout Palestine. There was no proven security of shelter and sustenance. The only security was faith that God would sustain them.

Today, being a follower of Jesus no longer entails leaving home, but rather abandoning old habits that don’t contribute positively, the harmful habit of making decisions as if God didn’t exist, and instead looking to the Savior as a reliable guide on our journey.

He is still with us every day, always ready to teach us to live with significance. The decision to take up his cross is daily. The cross involves embracing his teachings, holding onto them, and defending them at all costs. Every morning, you’ll decide whether to follow him or abandon his principles.