I was scrolling through social media last week when I came upon a cartoon. The artist depicted the death of the apostle Peter. History says that the apostle was hung upside down on a wooden cross. He refused to die in the usual manner of crucifixion because he deemed himself unworthy to die the same way that Christ did. Underneath the cartoon, the artist writes these seemingly ironic words – “God has such a wonderful plan for your life, Peter”.
I couldn’t get the picture out of my mind all week.
I thought back to the very same Peter who thrice denied any knowledge of Jesus on the day that He was arrested. This very Peter reprimanded the Lord when he heard Him speak of His impending death and resurrection. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22)
This very man, who almost sunk beneath the waves when Christ was on the water with him, chose to die upside down on a cross, thus fulfilling Christ’s prophecy: “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” (John 21:18)
So what exactly happened?
Let me put it this way. I remember reading a story many years ago about a donkey who was not very keen on working hard. After several failed attempts at getting the donkey to move more briskly, the farmer resorts to tying a carrot on the cart and dangling it before the donkey’s eyes. Always having the carrot in his field of view, the donkey pushes forward enthusiastically, in hopes of being rewarded with it.
When we’re not vigilant, we tend to behave just like that donkey. What the donkey does not realise is that all that it’s chasing is a dream. It tries to push itself harder and harder – all in the hope of attaining that carrot. What it does not realise is that the carrot is a pitiful prize to pursue. Even if he was rewarded with that carrot, so what? Would it satiate him for the rest of his life and bring all of his cravings to a halt?
We tend to run after so many things that are similar to that lone carrot dangling at the end of that stick. We waste our breath – even our years – running after things that offer fleeting pleasures. We even resort to being so foolish as to ask God for those very things that He asks us to despise. To make things worse, I see so many believers try to lead others to Christ by dangling some sort of hope in front of their faces.
“If you come to Christ, your son will find a job and get settled in the Middle East.”
“Just seek God, and you’ll be able to see exponential growth in your business pursuits.”
“Why are you struggling financially? Just tithe diligently and see how prosperous you will become!”
” Don’t be dismayed that you are sick. Just turn to Christ and all will be well.”
This is what is called carrot Christianity.
Don’t get me wrong, Christ is the only hope for mankind. Everything that we need can be provided by Him in fullness. However, that is not why we ought to seek Him. Our prize and reward is Jesus Christ himself. And to lead others into the Christian faith by pointing them to anything apart from Jesus is a sure way for it to backfire. A clear and faithful representation of the Gospel is what is needed for a man to set His eyes upon Christ’s finished work on the cross and to build his house on the rock. Anything else that we focus on only ends up distracting us from the ultimate goal – Jesus.
We need so many things in this life here on Earth. And of course, many of them might be perfectly valid. We might desire a good marriage, sufficient finances to live without debt, for our children to be settled comfortably, good friends who are trustworthy and health to be able to experience it all. While all those desires are perfectly valid, and I do believe that living in the fear of the Lord brings blessings, I am also led to wonder: What if the hardships, suffering, sickness and lack brings me closer to Jesus? What if all of this made me more like Christ and brought Him glory?
The problem with dangling the carrot of the perfect life in front of unbelievers is that it is simply not sustainable. It can, at best, be likened to the man who built his house on sand. His sight is not set upon Christ. His sight is set upon what Christ can do for him in this life. So at the first sight of trouble, his faith begins to shake. When something a little more substantial hits, his faith falls.
Let us point others to Christ. Let us lift Him up and nothing else. Let us proclaim to others that only He can satisfy the longing within our souls. Nothing else can compare. As Charles Spurgeon said, “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.” All of our earthly desires can be compared to the water that the Samaritan woman drew from the well. Make no mistake, “you will thirst again“. But to seek Christ and His righteousness leads to an experience where you “will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:14)
The greatest reward in this race that we run is to have the privilege of getting to know Christ. “Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.” (Hebrews 3:1)