Deny self?

Matthew 16:24 - "If any one would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

What does it mean to 'take up our cross' in our own circumstances today? Most of us reading this E-blog are economically privileged in comparison with much of the rest of the world. We have access to communications, transportation, education, health care, food, clothing and shelter far beyond the dreams of the first disciples of Jesus. Certainly there are Christians in our time who are "at risk" due to their faith, subject to discrimination, perhaps imprisonment or worse. But for most North American church folk, that is not our typical reality at this time in history. We may note that Christians, in our increasingly secularized society, can be ridiculed at times for our beliefs, that our influence in the public forum is on the wane, that we may be restricted in workplace or school about how we express our faith. Still, that is not the same level of personal sacrifice as is suggested by "the cross."

For us, in our culture of immediate gratification and materialism, perhaps the cross is to be found in the denial of self for the sake of the gospel. What we are doing differently, just because we are a Christian? How are we intentionally going out of our way, just because we are a disciple? What are we self-consciously postponing or doing without, so that the love of Christ may be shown?