Gain by Losing

At one point in the Gospel of Mark (chapter 10:35-45), James and John ask to sit at Jesus’ right hand or his left hand in his glory. They were asking for positions of power, privilege, and status. On the surface, their request seems a little arrogant or grasping – but deep down, it reveals the depths of the hope these men had to be a part of something great – something lasting – to have made something of their lives. And that is something I think we all want on one level or another. 

However, it is almost like they didn’t hear Jesus, or didn’t understand him when earlier he invited them to pick up their cross and follow him and in following to find not power or prestige or status, but something greater…

I remember years ago at a church I was serving, a young doctor from our congregation came by to see me. He said, “You know Joe, I’ve achieved every goal I ever set for myself. I have a home on the golf course, a thriving practice, a beautiful wife, healthy kids, and more than enough… So why is it that I still feel mostly empty inside?”

On a personal note, one of the things I enjoy most in life is surfing. Being out on the water in God’s creation gives me a sense of renewal and joy. But I have also found that surfing alone is not enough to give life meaning or depth or purpose. Surfing alone is not enough when those difficult moments in life come.

Sometimes people will tell me, “I worship God out in nature. I worship God while I’m on the water, or hiking in the mountains, or walking in the woods.” And I get it. I sense God’s presence in a very deep way in the midst of creation. But the times when I’ve grown most in my life, the times when I have felt most fulfilled, and times when I’ve experienced Christ’s presence in the most profound sense, have not been in moments of achievement, not necessarily in moments out in the beauty of creation, nor in moments of sheer enjoyment. No, it has been in moments when I’ve surrendered something, given something, or done something for someone else.

Maybe that’s what Jesus meant, at least in part, when he said: “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it…” (Mark 8:34-37) 

Let us pray: We thank you, gracious God, for the desire to do well and to make something of our lives. We do humbly ask that you would meet us in our achievements, meet us in our enjoyment of life, and meet us even in the midst of our everyday tasks. And all along the way, Lord, help us not to cling too tightly, to surrender easily to you, and to give freely to those in need; in Jesus’ name. Amen.