When Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow Him, I've come to understand something profound. His words echo through time with crystal clarity: "Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:27). When we are carrying our cross and following after Jesus as He has commanded us to do, we can't carry, hold, or focus on any worldly possessions, titles, wealth - nothing but Jesus.
Think about that image for a moment. With our hands gripping the rough wood of our cross, there's simply no way to simultaneously clutch at earthly treasures. Our arms are already full with this sacred calling. This isn't just a beautiful metaphor - it's a living reality that Jesus invites us into daily.
I've realized that this is exactly why Jesus designed discipleship this way. The very act of carrying our cross forces us to release everything else. We can't chase after status while bearing this holy weight. We can't accumulate possessions when our hands are occupied with following Him. We can't even look around to compare ourselves with others because our eyes must stay fixed on Jesus ahead of us, leading the way.
What looks like sacrifice to the world has become my greatest liberation. Every step forward with my cross is a step away from the crushing burden of worldly expectations and material pursuits. The things I once thought I needed to hold onto - reputation, comfort, security in earthly things - I've had to lay down. And in doing so, I've discovered they were actually holding me back from fully following Jesus.
This journey has taught me that Jesus wasn't restricting us when He commanded us to take up our cross - He was setting us free. Free from the exhausting chase after things that don't last. Free from the constant pressure to prove ourselves. Free from divided loyalties and scattered focus. When all we can carry is our cross, our hearts become wonderfully simplified. Like I've always said, All Things Jesus 24/7/365.
I've found such joy in this singular devotion. Yes, the cross is heavy. Yes, the path can be challenging. But there's an indescribable peace in knowing my hands are too full of Jesus to grab onto lesser things. Every day, this cross-bearing journey strips away more of what doesn't matter and deepens my devotion to what does.
This is the kind of whole-hearted following that Jesus calls us to. Not a casual Christianity that tries to balance worldly pursuits with spiritual ones, but a complete abandonment to Him. When we truly understand that we can't carry our cross and our worldly attachments at the same time, it simplifies everything. We choose the cross. We choose Jesus. And in choosing Him, we find everything we were really looking for all along.
The world may not understand. They may see our empty hands and think we're missing out. But we know the truth - our hands aren't empty at all. They're full of the only thing that truly matters. They're full of Jesus.
So let's embrace this cross-bearing life with joy. Let's celebrate the freedom of having our hands too occupied with following Jesus to grasp at anything else. This is the path to true life. This is the way of Jesus. This is what it means to be His disciple.
©2025 James Dacey Jr.
