Are You Better Than Jesus? (part 3 of 3)

3.  Am I willing to become uncomfortable as I follow Jesus? 

Let’s face it.  American Christianity doesn’t really push us to be uncomfortable.  It’s pretty easy to be a “Christian” in our culture.  You can even be a pretty popular Christian… one with cool hair, clothes, and cars, fancy buildings, book deals, speaking gigs, and large followings, budgets, and income.  Yes, the media may marginalize Christians from time to time but it is often still more advantageous than not to be a Christian. 

In Matthew 8:18-22 some would-be disciples excitedly came up to Jesus.  He was healing crowds!  He was feeding multitudes!  He was… a rock star!  

Someone crank up the hype-machine!  "Crowd disciple" #1 (a religious "fan" who happened to be a scribe) gushes to Jesus that he'll follow him anywhere!  ...That is until Jesus challenged his zeal by reminding hyped-up guy that he (Jesus) was actually homeless. Maybe being a disciple won’t be as hip, cool, popular, and easy as he thought.  Oops!  Maybe I don’t want to be a “follower.” You mean I'll have to follow you when it's not comfortable and cool?  Sorry, I’ll take home over no home!  Notice, Jesus wasn’t asking him to be “willing” to be uncomfortable.  After all, couldn’t we all deceive ourselves with that?  Sure, Jesus… if I ever “had” to… Jesus was actually reminding him that the present reality might not be as glittery and glamorous as Crowd Disciple #1 thought.

I've been thinking... Would I follow Jesus if it wasn't easy or cool... even accepting discomfort or difficulty?  Would you?  How have you experienced this or seen it done?  If not, are you better than Jesus?

Another hype-machine victim (aka "Crowd Disciple" #2) felt he needed to first handle some important family business before obeying Jesus' call to follow.  Last I checked, burying relatives is pretty important.  The same account from Luke 9:60 reveals that Jesus seemed to call Crowd Disciple #2 to preach.  Before growing alarmed at Jesus’ response to "let the dead bury the dead," one must note that his father was likely not dead yet (I’m seeing visions from Monty Python and the Holy Grail).  Had his father truly just breathed his last, this man wouldn’t have been present.  More likely he wanted to assist his ailing father before he died. He wanted to follow Jesus, just not now.  Jesus reminded him that there are two kingdoms- one on earth and one in heaven.  The spiritually “dead” on earth needed the message of “life” desperately.  His call was to preach.  Plenty of others would tend to his family.  The call was urgent.  Present .  Now.

I've been thinking... what in my life needs to be immediately set aside in order for me to more faithfully follow Jesus?  What about you? How have you experienced this or seen it done?  If not, are you better than Jesus?