Stephen Covey, noted author and speaker, once wrote on "True North." In his book, Principle-Centered Leadership (1992), Covey says, "Correct principles are like compasses: they are always pointing the way. And if we know how to read them, we won't get lost, confused, or fooled by conflicting voices and values." "True North" then is that concept of having those principles within ourselves, self-evident, that are natural laws that don't shift or change with time.
In Matthew 10, Christ says something that is disturbing and contradictory at face value with whom we identify our Savior: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother.... Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Wait a minute. Isn't this the Jesus spoken of in Isaiah as "Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace." Isn't this the Jesus Linus talks about in "Peanuts Christmas" by quoting from Luke telling us to, "Fear not..." with the angels singing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among men?" Now Jesus is saying He didn't come to bring peace?
Christ is telling us that He, and He alone, is our True North. Mom and dad are our earthly mom and dad, but Christ should reign supreme in our hearts, and nothing, not mom, dad, brother, or sister, friend, acquaintance, sports offering, outside activity, or any other temptation, should come between us and our Savior. This comes with a cost, the "cost of discipleship" as Dietrich Bonhoeffer will write, and it is potentially divisive, even among those we love here on earth.
We pray that we keep Christ, and Him crucified, as our True North.
Hope Men's Ministry
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