Take up your cross.

Jesus often talks in riddles and uses symbolism and "parables" - all of which can be taken multiple ways. It can be hard to be sure of exactly what he means. I have been reflecting on the verse where he tells us to take up our cross, and that he who lays down his life for His sake will gain it back

Often in the world of church, education and the community we expect people to change their behaviour, and we put in place sanctions to deter people from poor decision and consider better ones. Choice is a wonderful thing and people (given the right conditions) can choose to change the what they think, believe and even what they do, and often times they don't.

However it seems that Christ is in the business of changing the way people are- by giving a new nature and walking in the light he wants us to be transformed from the inside out by the power of the Holy Spirit, rather than from the outside in by effort alone. His requirement is absolute surrender of what and who we are. We don't really have the liberty to 'be who we want to be' or choose our own destiny or create our own image... we need to surrender to him to be reflect his image. Now that doesn't mean that we don't have a say and don't strive to achieve things in this life, nor that we all become carbon clones, but it all comes down to putting our ways before him for his guidance and being willing to do what He wants if there is a conflict.