“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28 NIV
Baggage check-in begins at the foot of the cross when you decide to embark on a relationship with Jesus. It's a requirement that I couldn't fulfill for some reason. It always made me turn away. Most of us carry a heavy load. Mine was burdensome, but I will spare you the details. I'm sure it's all too familiar. I prefer to focus on the solution rather than the problem. What is the cost to check-in? Why do we choose to lug our baggage around?
My baggage is the reason why I turned away Jesus's invitation to follow him so many times in my life. Despite my baggage, I considered myself a Christian, but I believe it's different from Christ-like. What does it mean to be Christ-like? What would I have to check in after all? To begin with, I had to forgive. Oh man, that word itself is loaded! It requires looking back, letting go, and not looking back. How far? As far back as you can remember. How much? Everything. For me, it meant way back to childhood. Burdens of abandonment, rejection, regret, anger, abuse, hate, betrayal began at the age of five. All that is not fruitful filled my baggage starting at a very young age. These are things that are good to unload; yet, difficult to release. They take over the heart and the mind and become a part of us. They are an excuse to reject anything good to be miserable. Jesus is all that is good, and that's what was bizarre to me. How can someone so good and spotless be interested in having a relationship with me? Love is the reason and the antidote to clear out our baggage.
Misery loves company but not an unconventional company. Jesus's way is unorthodox. The complete opposite of the company I was used to keeping. He endured rejection, hate, anger, abuse, betrayal, ridicule, temptation but love was His antidote. He offers to help us do the same, and His cross is the drop-off zone. It's also a reminder of all that He endured; yet, He forgave because He loved. He loved His Father more than life itself. That's the key, love God above all things! Forgiving cleanses our hearts and thoughts and lets Him do good work in us through His Spirit. His Spirit is pure, and He requires purity to remain. Whoa, it's a tough call! It's worth it, though, because the reward is freedom. True freedom. Freedom from all that weighs us down and that only He can give. Forgiveness is freedom from accumulated baggage.
You've heard it said that love is an action. Forgiveness is love. Forgiving because we love God makes it easier to unload our baggage. Understanding that we are all created in His image helps us to see others through His eyes. It helps to see past the hurt and to understand that they hurt because they are hurting. Exchanging the dirty pile in our baggage for articles of love lightens the load and lightens up our perspective too. Jesus came into this world to understand what it was like to live in this world. To carry our weight no matter how heavy it is. All that He asks for us to do is check it in at the foot of His cross. He died to offer a better way to live in this life before our next destination into eternity. I want to lighten up and live as an imitator of His ways for my ticket.
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