Our Lord obviously wanted to make it very clear that following him would be no water slide. It would be an uphill journey that demanded everything.
Once, my brother Ken and I were talking about a young man who seemed to have a great deal of potential for ministry. He was always praying or prophesying or testifying or witnessing. ‘He’ll go a long way in the Lord’s work,’ I suggested.
Ken answered with just four words. ‘Not enough tears yet.’
I laughed. ‘What would you know about tears?’
At this point, his wife Alison looked at me as if to say, ‘Don’t you dare breathe another word!’
I learned later that Ken had been through a very trying time of which I had known nothing–and there had been more than a few tears, indeed.
Looking back now, I can see that he was right about the young man. He proved to be arrogant and unteachable–and unwilling to accept anything other than success.
Ultimately he did weep his share of tears, too. But by then it was too late. His ministry had melted.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy (Psalm 126:5).
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.