the cost of following blood-stained feet

On page 6 of The Second Coming of the Church, George Barna gives a table: "Examples of the Similarity of Behavior between Christians and Non-Christians".
"Have been divorced (among those who have been married)"
Born Again Christians - 27%
Non-Christians - 23%

“Gave money to a homeless person or poor person, in past year"
Born Again Christians - 24%
Non-Christians - 34%

"Bought a lottery ticket, in the past week"
Born Again Christians - 23%
Non-Christians - 27%

Skip to page 121, and he gives another table, "Examples of the Similarity of Attitudes Between Christians and non-Christians":
"Feel completely or very successful"
Born Again Christians - 58%
Non-Christians - 49%

"You are still trying to figure out the purpose of your life"
Born Again Christians - 36%
Non-Christians - 47%

"Satisfied with your life these days"
Born Again Christians - 69%
Non-Christians - 68%

Why isn't there a bigger gap between those numbers? Why is it that those who claim to follow Christ look exactly like those who deny Him? Barna was right when he concluded, "We think and behave no differently from anyone else."

It's not just statistics though. Looking in my own church and youth group, I can attest to this trend. I know "Christian" kids, who I see at least once a week at church, who look and act no different than the thousand others who attend their high school.

Why?

Because we have ignored Jesus! Churches have brushed aside the reality of Jesus' message. In the early church, people saw Jesus for who He was. They knew of the wounds, the scars, the nails. They knew that following a crucified Savior meant following Him even up the hill to the cross.

I've been reading Thomas A'Kempis' book "The Imitation of Christ" (and highly recommend it!). His description of Christians is all too true:

"Jesus has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few actually carry His cross.
He has many who like consolation; few desire tribulation.
All want to rejoice with Him; few will endure for Him.
Man follow Jesus to break bread; few follow to drink His cup of sorrow.
Many respond to His miracles; few share the disgrace of His cross."

Following Christ isn't just an activity that you can adjust to fit into your schedule on Sundays. I don't think Luke 9:23 could be any clearer. "If any one would come after me, he must deny himself (his schedule, his dreams, his comforts, his hobbies)and take up his cross daily and follow me."

John Piper said, "The cross is not a mere event in history; it's a way of life! Take up your cross DAILY, Jesus said! ...For the Christian the cross of Christ is not merely a past place of substitution. It is also a present place of daily execution."

Moral of the story: If you claim to follow Jesus, walk, talk, and live like He lived.
1 John 2:6 - "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."

Don't forget that the Jesus you claim to serve carried a cross.
Don't forget that the Jesus you claim to love was mocked, hated, whipped, spat upon, and nailed.
Don't forget that the feet you're following are blood-stained feet.