Choosing The Extraordinary LifeSample

Burn the Ships

If you decide to pursue an extraordinary life, then there will come a time when you must be prepared to go all in. 

“Burn the ships” has become a metaphor for any decision where retreat is no longer an option. It is a point of no return. Jesus personalized it thus: “Follow Me.” This is the call to discipleship—to see Jesus as more important than anything or anyone else in life; to deny yourself and crucify your sinful habits; to go anywhere and do anything at any time Jesus commands.

Being a true disciple of Jesus involves four aspects of our lives.

1. Get your priorities straight. When other commitments conflict with our commitment to Christ, true disciples must always follow the Lord. The struggle is often not between something evil and something good, but between something good and something better. We don’t necessarily have to become gypsies or forsake our families. But if the choice comes down to following Jesus or putting our security and families first, then our allegiance to Jesus must take priority.

2. Get rid of your prejudices. Our commitment to Christ is determined by our faith in and obedience to Christ, not our politics, intellect, or skin color. People from every tribe, tongue, and tone will populate heaven. So, shouldn’t we start trying to get along with them in this life? This requires us to lay aside our prejudices and view our fellow disciples as Christ views them—as brothers and sisters in the faith.

3. Get your pleasures aligned. Discipleship requires self-denial, which means aligning our desires with God’s. Whenever there is a conflict between what we want and what God wants, God wins every time. As Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

4. Get a handle on your possessions. We live in a materialistic society where our creature comforts rival our commitment to Christ. We must be careful to see our possessions simply as gifts from God to enjoy responsibly. The moment your house is no longer just a pile of wood and brick, or your bank account is no longer just digital numbers in a computer, ask whether your possessions control you or whether you control your possessions.

What stands in the way of you following Jesus wholeheartedly? Ask God to help you release it to Him.