Written By: Johnny Zhang | CS Hawaii

I think it’s just part of being human to hold onto things. We cling to what we own, what we’ve achieved, and especially what we’ve experienced. But as any surfer knows, some things are a lot harder to let go of than others.

When I paddle out into the line-up, I’m not just scanning the horizon for the next set; I’m looking at the people around me. Sometimes, it’s a familiar face — a friend, an auntie, or an uncle. But other times, it’s someone who carries a certain “reputation.” Maybe they burned you on a wave once, or they spoke to you in a way that left a bad taste in your mouth. In those moments, the water doesn’t feel quite as peaceful. It’s not always easy to let go of those old feelings or forgive the person who caused them.

I’ve been sitting with a verse from 2 Corinthians this morning. In Chapter 5:17, Paul writes: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

As Paul says just one verse earlier, we are called to no longer “regard anyone from a worldly point of view.” I’m not suggesting this is easy. To be honest, almost every part of walking in righteousness is a bit of a struggle. It’s a constant friction against our natural instincts. But this is the “essential duty” of walking with Jesus. It’s exactly what He meant in Matthew 16:24-26: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Denying yourself often means denying your right to stay angry. It means losing your “worldly” perspective of someone else so you can find the life Jesus intended for you.

My encouragement to you today: Seek that life in Jesus by taking up your cross. And when someone else rubs you in the wrong way in the water, remember to see them how Jesus would, with compassion, mercy, and grace.