Insufficient funds

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” – Luke 9:23, nasb

It was Scotch-taped to the cash register, a light green check with a happy face smiling at you. On the check in bold letters was the catchy slogan, “Smile, God Loves You!” But in much larger red letters was the rubber-stamped message that had come from the local bank, marked, “Insufficient Funds.” It was one of a half-dozen bad checks taped to the register in a Christian bookstore, and what struck me as being so incongruous was that all bore Christian motifs – slogans, Icthus or fish symbols and catchy phrases.

How deep does Christian commitment go, anyway? According to the latest statistics, most people believe in God. Large numbers of them claim to have had a born-again experience. Yet families are in deep trouble today. In the past generation we have had a paradigm shift when it comes to cultural values. What was forbidden a generation ago is now tolerated, if not embraced. Sociologists are sitting with their stopwatches recording the disintegration of the family unit.

Lacking today is the clarion call to discipleship, to follow Christ no matter where He directs. “When Christ calls a man,” wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer a generation ago, “he calls him to come and die.” By contrast, largely the call heard today is to overcome your fears, conquer your guilt, become successful and enjoy life. The theme of putting self to the stake has never been popular, but never has it been more needed.

A casual look at those who walked with Jesus in the first century indicates that not only did they bear the name of Christ, but also their lives radically changed. There are times when the best of men can get a check returned, but when a person really meets the risen Christ, he or she never needs to fear that God will stamp “Insufficient Funds” over his life.

Used with permission from Guidelines International Ministries. To learn more about Guidelines and the ministry, send an e-mail to [email protected]. You may also visit www.guidelines.org.