How are you doing today, the day after the market lost 500 points and Greenspan said in effect, "this is the worst financial crisis in 100 years, even worse than the Great Depression"?  While the news continues to be bad this morning (Asian markets lost another 5% last night), many of us don't have stock and haven't lost our jobs yet - we haven't been socked in the wallet.  But as our economy continues to melt  down, we will have an opportunity to re-evaluate what we hold dear.

When such a value check takes place in my life, I like to remind myself, "It all burns up in the big fire."  Home, bank accounts, car - all gone as we return to our creator.  And when we're with him, we'll get a chance to evaluate how it went for us down here on this dark planet. In 1986 I met and spoke with George Ritchie, who had this happen to him.  He died of pneumonia and met Jesus, whose only question was, "What have you done that you'd like to show me?"  The question changed his life when he was resuscitated.

So, in light of this big picture, it might be a good time to take stock.  How far will you go in following Jesus?  What are your limits?  As he asked Peter, Jesus is always asking us, "Do you love me more than these?"

And he throws down the gauntlet when he says, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."*

So, not giving up everything disqualifies us from discipleship. Wow. Just meditate on those words from the master for a second. If you do not give up everything you have you cannot be his disciple. That's a harsh, all-inclusive statement.  Think about all the things we spend our time on:

• Our family
• Our friends
• Movies
• Music
• Our jobs
• Our hobbies
• Our golf or tennis games
• School
• Our homes
• Our books
• Our dreams

Where does Jesus fit in that list?  Do you love him more than these? We need a periodic gut check and then we need to turn to our Lord and  pray from our heart as Peter did.

* Luke 14:33