Living Above My Station

"No disciple is above his teacher,"
Matthew 10:24

When our Lord said this He was referring to the fact that we as His disciples must expect persecution of one sort or another. But I see in that simple statement a challenge to just about everything in my life.

For instance, if our Lord was born in poverty, how is it that we as His disciples seem to assume we should live in prosperity? He embraced simplicity, we clamor for more and more. There are more examples. But the point here is to allow the statement to be the criteria for evaluating numerous things in our lives.

I am on the poorer side of the scale by modern American standards. Still, I live at a much more affluent level than our Lord, or virtually anyone else living in His time. How can I simplify my life? How do I learn to be content with much less? How do I truly imitate my Lord?

Another example would be how easy or hard life is. Our Lord lived a typical life as far as we know. That would mean long hours of manual labor with necessary food (but not much more than that) and none of the conveniences that we take for granted (like indoor plumbing for example). In light of this, why do I complain about my job in my air-conditioned (or heated in the winter) office with my computer, microwave, email, telephone, etc.? I think you get the point.

I am asking myself today how I can come closer to imitating my Lord in His life. How do I live simpler? How do I become more content? How can I patiently endure adversity? How do I carry a cross?

No one is greater than his master. Certainly I am not greater than my Lord. God grant me the forgiveness for arrogantly living above my station and the grace to embrace the standard He has set before me!