By Mallory Mattingly
Rookie running back Nathan Carter knows that following Jesus comes with a cost, but he encourages his followers that it’s worth it.
“The journey to the NFL is costly. Many love the idea of the big stadium, the national attention, and the paychecks. But very few talk about the cost to get there. It costs you your comfort, time, body, and priorities,” the athlete shared in a post on Instagram. “It means saying ‘no’ to the very things you’d like to say ‘yes’ to. We don’t have the choice to negotiate the terms of the cost: the moment that you commit, your life changes.”
“And yet, some of us treat Christianity as if we can negotiate with Jesus the terms of the cost He is telling us to count,” Carter continued. “We love the idea of eternal life, forgiveness, and not going to hell, but when Jesus asks us to leave our own desires, sinful habits, and way of living, and to move towards holiness, for some reason, that’s an issue for us that we cannot accept. This is the message that Jesus alludes to in Luke 14:26-27.”
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That passage of scripture reads: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even their own life — such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”
The Atalanta Falcons player then went into what it costs people to follow Jesus.
“There is a cost to being a disciple of Jesus. A faithful, devout follower. In this context, Jesus is talking to a large, enthusiastic crowd,” he wrote. “Who admire Him. But admiration alone is not sufficient for discipleship. Jesus gives them a reality check. He explains to them that being a true disciple of Christ means forsaking anything and everything that may come between Him being first in their lives.”
“This goes far beyond their feelings and cuts deep into their soul. It means complete and total self-denial and surrender of our lives to Him,” Carter continued. “In the Jewish culture, it could mean losing one’s family or valuable possessions. As M.J. Wilkins says, ‘Discipleship is not just about entering the way of salvation, but continuously traveling along it through daily self-denial, cross-bearing, and following Jesus.'”
“So, how are you doing with that? You have to decide whether you’re willing to count the cost and go all in for Jesus. You will face trouble and persecution,” the running back concluded. “You will be laughed at, mocked, and ridiculed. You will lose relationships and friendships, and you may even lose your life. But Jesus is asking us to release control of our lives and put them into His hands, because the reward we receive through complete allegiance to Christ in eternity will be far greater than anything we could ever lose here on earth.”
Carter frequently speaks about his faith on Instagram.
“If the world discourages you, I understand,” he wrote back in November. “The good news is that there is hope…Yes, brokenness exists. But Jesus is still on the throne. Instead of focusing on the brokenness, come and see Jesus, the one who makes you whole, and who will one day restore all that has been broken.”
As followers of Jesus, our faith will cost us something. But the reward for living a life that honors God is better than anything we could have ever dreamed of.
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