February 2020

Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, says no a lot. An article in Money magazine asserts that this is how Buffett claims you can become successful. You have to say no much more than you say yes.

The article consists of the responses of several wealthy business leaders to Buffett’s admonition. Most of these individuals agree with him that it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get distracted by good ideas and opportunities. Success in business boils down to saying yes to your priorities and no to anything else. You can’t do everything, so focus on what you value and let everything else go.

How does this advice pertain to a life of discipleship?

World

God calls Christians to decline the demands of society. To the extent that they conflict with our loyalty to Jesus, we must reject the temptations of this world.

“But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!’” – Acts 4:19

Great question, isn’t it? The apostles Peter and John were under arrest for creating a disturbance in the temple. I guess it was against the law to preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to heal a lame man by a miracle! Forbidden by the Jewish rulers from continuing their ministry, these two had a choice. They could say no to Jesus or to the officials. Aligning themselves with the will of God required that Peter and John turn down the edict of the leaders. For the apostles, nothing would supersede the priority of the gospel.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. ¹⁶For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

The world comes at us with negative pressure, as it did with Peter and John. But it also tempts us with things that look good or appeal to our desires. If we elevate anything above God the Father, the world has done its job. We’re defeated whether we realize it or not.

Recognizing that the world and its values will fade away helps us keep on track. God is everlasting–this truth is basic to our faith. But so are we, yet only those aspects of ourselves that fulfill the Father’s will. What we waste time on will not endure. As we step into eternity, God will purge our lives of these empty elements. And we will lose the fruit of what we could have accomplished in Christ.

Self

To deal with the pressures of the world, Christians must go deeper and deny themselves.

“Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’” – Luke 9:23

Self-denial defines discipleship; it’s basic to following Jesus. But take note–the Lord isn’t asking us to do something that He avoids. Although sinless, Christ carried His cross and suffered an unjust death. The good news? Through this sacrifice, He freed us from the penalty and power of sin. We’re now invited to take part in the relationship with God that Jesus enjoys–free, total, and complete. By answering His invitation and taking up our cross, we learn how to love.

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ²Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’” – Romans 15:1-3

As we grow in Christ, our spiritual vitality develops and matures. But this doesn’t entitle us to bully others; that’s not how love thinks. When we take up our cross and deny ourselves, we find the ability to affirm others. Even at a cost to ourselves, we esteem the spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Like Jesus did for us, we take upon ourselves their burdens and problems. We reflect the attitude of a servant.

Application

As Warren Buffett stresses, success in business depends on getting no and yes right. We say no as many times as necessary to maintain our commitment to what is most important. It is to these that we say yes with a whole heart.

So also in the Christian life. Disciples of Jesus deny the siren calls of this world and negate the power of our impulses. Instead, we invest ourselves in the eternal. In doing so, we learn more about God’s kingdom and where we fit within His order. And as we persist, God rewards us with success and significance that never fades away.