Taking Up your Cross in What Seems Mundane

    This has been the first summer since I was probably in middle school that I have not had work that was people related. All I have done is watch dogs. While that’s been great cause I don't mind watching dogs at all, I have to admit it’s driving me a bit mad. I’ve always spent the summers working with people. Whether that was locally with customers, therapy support for clients or away at summer camps as a camp counselor. In Ireland, June-July meant Serge’s and CUI’s Encounter programme. I’m used to spending this portion of my summer amongst college students, meeting new people, running holiday Bible clubs or assisting churches as needed. Being surrounded by people and beautiful outdoor spaces 24/7 and for 2 weeks of the summer being only a 5 minute walk away from the beach in beautiful Greystones. I’m used to staying up late, playing games, hanging out at pubs, dancing or chatting with my outreach teams. I'm used waking up early each day, feeling a mix of exhaustion and joy, but still feeling that I had a purpose. It is in these summers, that I feel more that I am taking up my cross and following Jesus. I find that I tend to see the more tangible volunteer time and work as me taking up my cross daily and following Jesus.

  As some of you may or may not know, I will be joining 24-7 Ibiza in Ibiza, Spain from mid-August to mid-October. I’m afraid to admit though that rather than open my eyes to how I can help others around me or show Jesus on a daily basis I spent some of my time at the beginning of my summer, with this mindset that I was on “pause” and then I could hit “start” again once I got to Ibiza. I ached to be back in a place I missed and in a schedule that made me feel like I had a purpose.     

  However, yesterday I was reminded in a sermon at one of my friend’s churches that Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily and follow him every day. It was a small comment within a much bigger message but it struck a chord with me. See, Jesus wants us to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow him even when we haven’t signed up for 3 months of volunteer work, even when we haven’t even done any volunteer work at all in the past while. We should still volunteer, I think it is important and good to help others or help a cause you are passionate about if you have the time to do so but we shouldn’t place our identity in those things. We can remember that we can deny ourselves and give our time to others, or be more like Jesus to others in the day to day.

   I didn’t realise that I placed my identity in ministry or volunteer work until I found myself in the first summer in a while where I wasn’t helping people in any capacity for a time. I didn’t realise that I feel lost if I’m not helping people. I can still take up my cross each day though. I can choose to give my time to the people around me, I can be careful how I treat my friends, how I treat my parents while they graciously allow me to live with them until I get sorted, how I treat the people shopping in Wegman’s when I really would rather just get in, get my groceries and get out. I can be aware of how I respond to drivers when they cut me off. It’s in these small things that I can still take up my cross. I can open my eyes to the ways in each and every day that I can take up my cross even though it doesn’t always feel like I’m giving as much as when I’m helping someone who’s homeless or students my time and listening ear. Though this is not the reminder I would want to be learning right now, I am finding that it is an important one and one that I am more open to learn in the weeks ahead than I was a few weeks ago. I know that I don’t want to waste the time I have here at home before Ibiza. 

   So know that today, that you can take up your cross daily even in the little things. Even when you lose the title, “youth worker”, “teacher”, “camp counselor”, “coach”, “caseworker” "nurse" or “barista”. The everyday things are important.

  “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 (NIV)

Have a great week!

Much love,
Amy