Mark 8:35 (NIV) declares a profound truth at the heart of discipleship: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” In this divine paradox, Jesus presents a call that contradicts human instinct yet leads to true life. While the world urges us to preserve our comfort, protect our interests, and prioritise self, Christ invites His followers into a life of surrender, sacrificial obedience, and bold witness through the power of the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles demonstrated in Acts 4:31. Many desire God’s blessings, peace, and salvation, yet hesitate to lay down personal ambitions, social approval, and convenience for the sake of the gospel, but Jesus makes it clear that anything pursued outside God’s will leads only to loss.
Christ’s commission to His followers is not optional. He saved us not for a life of ease, but to proclaim His message, make disciples, shine His light, and testify of His grace wherever we find ourselves, in accordance with Matthew 28:18–19. Every believer is a messenger of God’s salvation, and one does not need a pulpit or title to fulfil this mandate. Our homes, workplaces, schools, communities, and daily interactions are our mission fields. Refusing to speak about Christ for fear of criticism or discomfort is an attempt to “save” one’s life, yet Jesus warns that such self-preservation leads to eternal loss. True disciples understand that purpose outweighs convenience and that the value of a soul far surpasses the comfort of silence. Losing one’s life for Christ means placing His will above our own, standing for truth despite opposition, offering faithful service wherever God provides opportunity, and laying aside worldly pursuits when they conflict with kingdom priorities.
God needs His people exactly where they are. Your daily life becomes a pulpit, your conduct a sermon, your testimony a message of hope, and your service an act of worship. Christ is not searching for perfect people, but for willing hearts that say, “Here I am, Lord, use me.” The world may urge us to live for ourselves, protect our image, seek comfort, and avoid sacrifice, but Christ calls us to give ourselves away, reflect His nature, carry our cross, and pursue the lost. True life begins with surrender, true success begins with consecration, and true eternity begins when worldly goals are laid at the feet of Christ. In losing your life for Him, you gain the life that truly matters, for life is safest only when placed in the hands of the One who gave His life for you.
Written by Deacon Abraham Quainoo
