“Following Jesus is Extremely Hard”

[NOTE: if you’ve not read yesterday’s blog,”Disappearing,” please do before reading today’s.]

Seeking that elusive balance I mentioned yesterday, here are some challenging words from Sojourners (https://sojo.net/articles/american-christianity-has-failed) —

The gospel of Jesus has been traded in for a narrative of fear.

But the Bible keeps reminding us to right the course:

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. (Isaiah 1:17)

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt. 25:35)

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Lev. 19: 33-34)

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. (Prov. 14:31)

The reality is that following Jesus is extremely hard.

— Again: “The gospel of Jesus has been traded in for a narrative of fear.”

Boom.