Finding Inspiration

"Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." Mark 10:28-30

Recently, a social media influencer named Stefan James said, "Having people to look up to is CRUCIAL in order to remain inspired! It’s important to have these people in your day to day life. However, you can also benefit from looking up to others that might be a bit less accessible to you in life. Personally, I admire the likes of Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, and others. I find great value in learning from their experiences and the knowledge that they share with their audiences. Inspiration comes in many shapes and forms. People that are known for being successful in their respective fields are one of those ways. Who’s a celebrity that you look up to and why?" The responses to this statement and question were what you would expect. One person wrote, "Keanu Reeves is such a sweetheart and has lots of wisdom too. I aspire to be as kind and humble as him." This comment was followed by, "Kevin Hart...his drive, positivity, and goals are an inspiration, and watching him keeps me inspired." And, of course, there was the obligatory, "I look up to you, man." All of these are great answers. They not only answer the question, but they also mention individuals who are at the top of their respective industries, are popular, and are well paid, to say the least. Most, if not all of them, overcame personal struggles to get to where they have reached in life. Tony Robbins grew up poor and had a parent who abused prescription drugs. Robert Kiyosaki overcame a failed marriage and multiple bankruptcies. Keanu Reeves, among other setbacks, endured the death of his child who was stillborn. Kevin Hart has achieved success despite growing up with a drug-addicted father who was in and out of jail throughout his childhood. As for Stefan James, growing up with a strict father led to severe bouts of shyness, anxiety, and depression. However, all of these individuals are well known within their circles of influence, if not the entire world. Tony Robbins is a success coach, public speaker, actor, and self-help author with a net worth of $600 million. Robert Kiyosaki is an accomplished real estate investor, author, and public speaker with a net worth of around $80 million. Keanu Reeves is an actor, musician, producer, and philanthropist who has a net worth of $360 million. Kevin Hart is a comedian, actor, and producer with a net worth of $200 million. And Stefan James is a YouTuber, entrepreneur, and life coach with an estimated net worth of $7 million. All of these individuals have overcome many life obstacles to achieve financial and personal success. Is it any wonder these celebrities are an inspiration to those who seek to achieve similar results in their lives? However, it is one thing to be an inspiration to others for having overcome personal obstacles in order to achieve wealth and success. But, what about those who have gone in the opposite direction? Can a person inspire others for seeming to have lost everything in life?

When it comes to being a Christian, worldly success is not what inspires us to live a life for our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, many Christians have lost everything the world would consider worth attaining as a result of their faith in Jesus Christ. To many of us, it is their example that inspires us to continue in and contend for our faith. The Apostle Peter, famously known for denying Jesus Christ three times prior to the Lord's crucifixion, was told by Jesus of how he would die for the Gospel. In John 21:18-19, Jesus said to Peter, "Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”"  Shortly after Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, God was instructing Ananias, a believer, on what He wanted him to do. "But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name (Acts 9:15-16).” History records that "Peter when he was condemned to death in Rome, requested to be crucified upside-down because he did not believe that a man is worthy to be killed in the same manner as Jesus Christ." The details surrounding the death of Paul are not certain. However, tradition holds that somewhere between 64 A.D. and 67 A.D., "he was beheaded in Rome and thus died as a martyr for his faith. His death was perhaps part of the executions of Christians ordered by the Roman emperor Nero following the great fire in the city in 64 A.D." These are just two prominent examples of what one could lose in order to follow Jesus Christ. Peter was a fisherman prior to his conversion and following Jesus Christ. This was a modest, but respectable living. He was willing to walk away from that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, Peter was told about how he would die after Jesus restored him for his denial. Peter denied Jesus for fear of being persecuted and possibly being put to death. However, he gladly went to his death for His Lord. Paul, by his own admission, was "faultless" in his righteousness as a Pharisee. Yet, considered it all "dung" in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ. It was this attitude that carried him through numerous experiences of suffering on his way to dying for the Lord. These men, and others like them throughout history, lost everything for the sake of Jesus Christ. These are the "celebrities" that I look up to and get my inspiration from. I may never meet the likes of Tony Robbins, Robert Kiyosaki, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Hart, or Stefan James. But, I will meet Peter and Paul when I go to be with them in heaven on the day the Lord calls me home. That is where I find my inspiration.