Write About Now

When two of my friends got married, the pastor reminded the groom that while it’s right to be willing to lay down his life for his new bride, he must also be willing to be inconvenienced for her.

That’s often more difficult. There is something noble and soul-stirring about the grand gesture, but neither of those adjectives apply to waiting without sighs and eye rolling while she does her hair and makes you late. There is something heroic about the gallant knight expertly commanding his white horse to duel for the lady’s honor—it’s much less exciting to adjust the tire pressure on the white Camry so she can drive safely.

The same principle applies to other relationships. While I am quite willing to fly across country and be there for a friend at a time of great need, how often am I willing to take a phone call during my hectic day and listen to the details of hers? I would donate a kidney to a family member, but will I stifle a snarky comment the next time I’m annoyed with one of them?

And it’s true with God. As Twila Paris sang in her old song Undivided Heart, “There have been days when I would die for You, and days when I would not die to me.” I’ll hopefully never have to find out, but I think I really could face a firing squad rather than deny my faith. So why is it so hard to tithe?

God asks few of us for the grand gestures, but he asks all of us as his bride, the church, to “inconvenience” ourselves for His sake. Most of us won’t have to lay down our lives, but we all have to take up our crosses.