Mike Glenn’s two-year-old grandson didn’t claim mama or dada as his first word. Instead, he repeated a word he hears quite a bit as a toddler: no.

"Was I, like my grandson Walker, hearing no so much that it was the first word I learned?" wonders Glenn. "And, if it was the first word I learned, why did I stop saying it so much?"

Like many Christians who feel compelled by the need to be polite, servant-hearted, and willing to sacrifice, Glenn finds himself saying yes a lot. Emails need responses, friends need advice, and to-do lists need checkmarks. But, Glenn points out, to say yes to one thing is to say no to something else. Jesus knew this during his earthly ministry, saying no to a waiting crowd, to Satan in the wilderness, and to Peter who said the crucifixion wasn’t going to happen.

Why? Because Jesus answered according to the mission God had set before him. And, as his followers, we are empowered to do the same.

We may not always have perfect clarity when it comes to saying yes and no. But perhaps just introducing the idea of being allowed to say no, and identifying the main priorities of our lives, can help us know how to live in harmony with our mission. In doing so, may we find greater peace, joy, and intimacy with Christ.