By Al Behel
Following a
concert a lady approached the great pianist, Padereswski, and said, “I would
give my life to play like that.” Paderewski answered, “I did.”
On an average, it
takes 50,000 hours to make a concert pianist. That’s 19 years, 113 days, at 8 hours
a day. Some are willing to pay the price; others are not. In other words, one
must give his or her life to be a great pianist.
I can’t help
wondering what it takes to become a real disciple of Jesus. Our religious world
makes it easy. No major sacrifice of time or energy. No serious study of
Scripture. No exercising of one’s mental and spiritual muscles to achieve
maturity in Christ. Just sign up and attend a few church services and give a
little money. That’s all that is required.
Is that really
true? Is discipleship easy? When I read the words of Jesus there seems to be a
lot more involved. He speaks of denying oneself and taking up a cross to follow
Him. He speaks of persecution and suffering, of selling all that we have. He
says we must seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. He even goes so far
as to say we must love others the way He loves
us. He offers no salvation without baptism and a cross
(Matthew 28:18-20). A cross is a place to die. Are you willing to pay the
price?
Discipling others
requires much time and effort, too. Some active personal evangelism leaders
have estimated that it may take more than 50 hours to lead an interested
individual to become a true follower of Christ. Are you willing to make
yourself an instrument through whom the Lord can reach the hearts of those
around you. Are you willing to pay the price?
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