By Pastor Mike

There has always been a cost to pursuing and following Jesus. At some point in the life of a Christian, there will come a point that to follow Christ means rejecting the ways of this world. One will have to live and speak at great odds against norms and societal opinions that have become popular among the populace. Jesus himself said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” We not only have to deny ourselves, but we also have to deny the world and its powers our loyalty and approval. Therein lies the great challenge. To live for Christ is to live at odds with eventually ALL worldly political, social, or popular movements of this world.

Eventually, those movements will demand loyalty that can only be reserved for Jesus, and when that loyalty is denied by the faithful, they will inevitably be despised.

This past week, we saw the heinous and evil act of assassination against political activist Charlie Kirk, as well as another school shooting in Colorado. Both acts as equally vile, both acts perpetrated by an act of evil. There are now childless parents, there is now a widow, and fatherless children. Hearts have been broken, lives have been shattered, all because individuals deemed their lives, views, and agendas as superior to the lives of others.

Already, there are many talking heads, political mouthpieces, and news outlets attempting to explain, express, and blame for what has occurred. There have been calls to action, calls to prayer, calls to peace, and calls to violence. People have responded in anger, responded in grief, and even more chillingly, responded in celebration. Which leads me back to the original statement of this devotional: there has always been a cost to pursuing and following Jesus.

Charlie Kirk was a professing Christian, though I personally did not always approve of some of his rhetoric or opinions on political matters, I have no reason to doubt his profession of faith in Jesus. The children in Colorado were innocents just trying to attend school in a place that is supposed to be safe and secure. Here is the reality of our world: the cost of discipleship is simply the danger that comes from living in a world where the value of human life is degraded to simply reflect upon those with whom you agree or support, as opposed to seeing everyone as a child of God. There will be those who attempt to rationalize or explain away these acts as the work of the mentally ill, or the response of zealous activists, or what happens when certain rhetoric is used. But all of that is a lie, and a gross misrepresentation of what actually occurred. What happened this past week was evil perpetrated upon others, the shedding of blood out of hatred and blind ignorance. And as Christians, our cost comes that we must both grieve with the widow and pray for the perpetrators.

That’s right, we must pray for the assassin and the murderers.

Here is the secondary cost of Discipleship: it is the cost of viewing one’s enemies and adversaries with the same love and grace that God has shown us. That’s right, we do not call for vengeance and violence as the rest of the world might do so. We as the church should not raise a banner of bloodletting or a call for holy war (which we are incapable of enacting anyway). What we are called to do, that is contrary to every fiber of our human nature, is to view these perpetrators as beloved, misguided, and broken children of God. They are infirm victims of the sin that has consumed them, and our job is to pray for their salvation and restoration into the hands of Jesus.

You see, we exist in a world guided by a savior who has room in his Kingdom for slain children, murdered political activists, as well as repentant assassins and murderers. Romans 10:13 states plainly, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And so, we should pray for those who do evil, pray for those who preach hate and division, and pray for those who are blinded by their own prejudices so that they cannot see the humanity within their fellow brothers and sisters.

A final reminder, my friends, the crucifixion of the holiest man that ever lived was conducted by religious leaders, royal appointees, politicians, soldiers, civilians, men, women, the whole world. It was the creation itself that crucified the creator, with only a small group softly voicing its objection. And in the final gasp of life upon this earth, Jesus Christ looked upon this broken world and proclaimed, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” May we remember that Christ prayed for us and for our restoration, meaning that we are required by divine mandate to do the same for all people of this world. To see everyone as a beloved child of God. If this were a universal attribute of all people, then acts of violence would cease to exist because we would not see each other as enemies, but as family.

“Father, forgive us, for we still do not know what we are doing. Amen.”

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Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
ACS Chaplain – United States Coast Guard, Station Galveston, TX