I wonder how many followers of Jesus have never truly picked up their cross because they didn’t know what it was. They have not understood that picking up your cross is DYING TO SELF.
DYING TO SELF is when you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely provoked, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight. But instead your heart is content, knowing your Father in Heaven understands you, just like Jesus did.
DYING TO SELF is when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself. But instead you take it all loving silence just like Jesus did.
Author Chip Ricks tells the following story:
Leonardo da Vinci had a violent quarrel with a fellow painter shortly before he began work on The Last Supper. As he began to paint, his anger led him to paint the face of the man who was now his enemy into the face of Judas. This was da Vinci's revenge, and he was gleeful over what he had done. But when he started to paint the face of Christ, his best efforts failed. He could no longer see the Savior he longed to honor. Through his struggle, he realized that he must forgive his fellow painter and erase his face from that of Judas. Only then was da Vinci able to see Jesus clearly and paint his face onto the canvas of The Last Supper.
Like da Vinci, we too will not see Jesus clearly when unforgiveness comes between us and someone who has offended us. It takes a lot of spiritual work to forgive when we have been deeply hurt. But of course that's what Jesus did for us. “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Col. 3:13b NLT). It’s hard, but not impossible with God’s grace. Jesus said resentment and bitterness are like a log in your eye that prevents you from seeing others clearly (seeing them through God's love and compassion (Mat 7:5)). So how much more will you need to remove that log if you want to see Jesus (Mat. 5:8).
