White flags

The world's view of success is that the more money, the bigger house, the fancier car, the more credentials you have, the more exciting your vacations and travel, the more successful you must be. That is the lie Satan would have you believe. Get more, be happier. Control more, be happier.

But Jesus says that your soul is the most important thing to be concerned about. Jesus is very clear about this: "...how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?"

It's not that acquiring the world is in itself a bad thing. But if you gain the world but lose your soul in the process, you have lost everything.

So how do you gain, but not lose your soul? Again, Jesus is clear: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."

Surrender. Surrender your personal, selfish ambition - gain for the sake of having more, being more, flaunting more.

Surrender your plans. Look for His plans. His people.

Surender your path. Follow His path. How do you know the way? (Thomas asked the same thing!) Look for the path Jesus walked. Look for the path laid out in God's Word. Love the Lord with all your heart. Love others as yourself. Serve Him with all that you've got.

Surrender all that you have. It's not really yours anyway! All that we have comes from the Lord. If we think that we own anything, we are blind to the fact that it all belongs to Him.

So wave the white flag of surrender. Though it goes against all the world's descriptions of power and victory, only the flag of surrender to Jesus will truly gain you power, victory, joy, rest, peace, and everlasting life for your soul.

Nothing but surrender to Jesus will satisfy your soul. And, as Jesus said, what is more important than your soul?

Surrender to Jesus. That's a Healthy Habit.

(from Mark 8: 34-38)