The "You Do You" Challenge

"Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'" 

Luke 9:23-24

I sunk my beach chair into the soft sand of the surf beside my sister-in-law. "Another day in paradise!" I exclaimed as I sat down with a cold Mountain Dew in one hand. Her husband leaned forward with a longing look and I promptly apologized for not bringing him one.

"No, I'm good. I've been pop-free since January 1st. It just looks delicious. You enjoy! You do you!" he approved.

I dug my toes into the sand, sipping on my soda, and just like the waves, his last phrase rolled over and over in my mind. 

As a high school teacher, I hear "You do you" a lot from the average American teen. They use it when someone goes out on a fashion limb, makes a questionable relationship choice, or flaunts an attitude. 

"You do you," is as American as cherry pie. Our culture emphasizes individual uniqueness and right to exercise every whim and desire. This mentality is seemingly not limited to a certain demographic, race, or religion. 

And that bothers me. 

"You do you," contradicts the message of Christ. In Luke 9, he flat out tells his disciples they will lose "their" life. For me as a disciple, a follower of Christ, a Christian, I must not consider my own life but Christ's gain. 

I finished my Mountain Dew on that beach. I'm not ready to go "pop-free" like my brother-in-law, but I am ready to challenge myself. When I want to do something for myself and take on the American "You Do You" mentality, I want to think what I could do with that time/money/energy to glorify the life of Christ and the gospel. 

I challenge myself to change the phrase "You Do You" to "You Do Christ" in those instances. 

How will my life change if I am truly His disciple who chooses to loose my life so He can save it? I know enough about God to understand this will certainly be a challenge, but will come with reward.

I'm up for the challenge!

Lord, I'm putting this out there and want you to keep me accountable. Nudge me to lay down my own life in areas needing sacrifice for the gain of the gospel. Help me to recognize those moments and be obedient to you. Give me the strength when I'm selfish to joyfully sacrifice for your glory. I want to be a girl whose actions are all about you! Amen.