Imprint: Self Protection Won’t Protect You
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” — Matthew 16:24–25
When Jesus told His disciples that He would suffer, die, and rise again, Peter couldn’t handle it. His immediate instinct was to protect—to find another way that didn’t involve pain. But Jesus’ response to Peter was sharp and revealing:
“Get behind me, Satan. You don’t have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
Peter wasn’t trying to be rebellious. He was being human. Like all of us, he wanted comfort, not suffering; safety, not sacrifice. Yet Jesus exposed the deep truth: the way of the world is to protect yourself, but the way of heaven is to give yourself away.
We Don’t Drift Toward Sacrifice
No one drifts into generosity, service, or surrender. We drift toward ease, safety, and control. We park in the front, take the shortcut, and guard what’s ours. But Jesus invites us into a different kingdom—a life where losing leads to finding, where giving leads to gain, and where laying our lives down opens us up to true life.
The Freedom of Generosity
Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Living generously isn’t just about money—it’s about posture. It’s how we respond to God’s voice when He calls us to give, serve, or love when it costs us something.
The story of businessman Chuck Feeney captures this beautifully. After building an $8 billion empire, he realized wealth hadn’t satisfied him. So he decided to give it all away before he died. He discovered a kingdom truth that Jesus had been saying all along—it’s better to give than to receive.
Generosity is a kingdom marker. It reflects the very heart of God.
The Way of the Kingdom
Jesus didn’t promise an easy life. He promised an abundant one. And abundance doesn’t come from hoarding—it comes from giving.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap.” — Luke 6:38
When we trust God as our Provider, fear loses its grip. Whether you have one dollar or one million, your Father sees you, provides for you, and invites you to partner with Him in generosity.
A Kingdom People With No Need Among Them
In Acts 4, the early church lived so radically generous that “there was no needy among them.” That’s what happens when a people believe God is enough. When we live with open hands, heaven breaks in, needs are met, and Jesus is revealed.
May it be said of us—that there is no needy among us. That we are a people who live openhanded, who refresh others, and who see the goodness of God pour out again and again.
Let’s be a people who don’t drift toward protection, but step boldly into generosity—trusting that our God is more than enough.