MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

John 15:16

You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

When I was a young girl in school one of the things I dreaded most was physical education class.  Many times we would be playing team sports and the captions would pick who they wanted on their team.  It always seemed I would be one of the last to be chosen.  This was always an embarrassment and I often felt second best. 

 When I ponder on the scripture that God chose me, I did not chose Him, I am reminded that I am no longer second best.  I am God’s first choice.  He has chosen me to walk my days out on this earth as a disciple of Jesus Christ and given me a specific anointing to fulfill His purposes.   It is an exciting thought to know that I am chosen by the great I AM!  I am on the team of Jesus Christ because He wants me to be on His team.  It is not because I am the only one left. 

 I have discovered that there are many of us on the same team; but, there are few who have truly counted the cost of what it will take to be one of the most valuable players, a true disciple for the team of Jesus Christ.  Often times, just being on the team is good enough.  I have been one of the people content in just being chosen for the team; but, the longer that I am on the team, being chosen isn’t enough. I know that with the privilege of being chosen comes sacrifice if I am to be a MVP, a true disciple.    

When Jesus said that we must take up our cross and follow Him that meant we would have to sacrifice some things that would cause us a degree of pain.   Sacrifice involves the act of giving up something for the sake of something else considered of greater value.  

 In Luke 14:26 Jesus states “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison--your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.”  Now Jesus is not commanding us to hate our family, but that we must put Him first above our family.  We must care more about what He thinks and approves of than the opinions of our family.  We must also put Him above what we want.  You see if we do not do this we can never truly follow Him as a disciple. 

 Jesus knew that well meaning family would be the first to get in the way of us truly becoming disciples because the bonds are so strong.  He also knew our own desires would get in the way.  This is why He proceeded to tell us in verse 27 to “take up our cross daily and follow Him.”  Putting ourselves and family second to Jesus does involve sacrifice.  He is not telling us to shrink back from our responsibilities.  He is telling us to get wisdom from Him first in each step we take.  We should not let our own human reasoning, or our family’s reasoning direct our steps. He knows what is best for all the team members.  

 There will be some people who will be called to move away from family.   This may be one of the hardest sacrifices were asked to make.  For those who have made this sacrifice Jesus gives an exciting promise. In Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.” 

It is encouraging to know that Jesus notices what we have sacrificed.  It is well worth it to become a most valuable player; a true disciple of Jesus Christ.