Take Up Your Cross

“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:22-23

AS PARENTS, we want to smooth out the way in front of our children. We want them to be included and appreciated, not mistreated or alienated. We want them to experience the smile and embrace of the world around them, not rejection or ridicule. And yet deep down we know that it is not comfort that forms character. It is not applause and approval that develop humility. It is not ease that tests integrity. These grow by God’s grace in the fertile ground of difficulty and adversity.

Our greatest hope as Christian parents is not that our children have comfortable or successful lives on this world’s terms. Our greatest hope is that we will raise children who will willingly lay down their lives for Christ. So rather than protect them from hardship, we pray for them in hardship, asking God to use each painful experience to make their satisfaction less dependent on the things of this world and to convince them that the way of Jesus —the way of dying to oneself and pursuing his Kingdom —is the only way to live a truly fulfilling life.

Lord, I know that ________ will not wear the crown of glory unless she bears your cross. May the crushing blows that come ________’s way serve to conform her more fully to your likeness and affirm to her more deeply the lasting joys of sharing in your suffering, confident that she will also share in your glory.