Friday, November 16, 2012

Counting the Cost


“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ’If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

‘Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.”

‘Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.’” (Luke 14:25-33 NIV)

“Ilse” attended a workshop I taught on how to hold on to our faith in the midst of suffering.  Normally when I teach this to college students, questions are rare.  Many will tell me how much they appreciate what they heard, but very few will ask any questions.  Ilse was different.  She was not a Christian, not American, and she had a lot of questions.  I finally had to tell her that I was willing to address her questions later, but that I needed to cover material I was asked to present.  

Later we did talk and she explained the reason for her many questions. She was interested in Christianity, but had a lot of questions and she didn’t want to be in a relationship with Christ before making sure it was something she wanted to do and to which she could commit her whole life.  

Ilse gets it.  To make a commitment to follow Jesus is a huge decision.  It is not something to be entered into lightly.  To follow Jesus is life-changing and life-altering.  So often, by our language and our practice, we downplay the radical nature of the decision.  We talk in terms of “accepting Jesus” or “asking Jesus into my heart,” descriptions that bring to mind someone sitting in a chair rather than one in motion following behind their Master. By wanting to make it so easy for someone to become a Christian, we misconstrue what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  

Following Jesus, being a Christian, means to give up everything, to release our control, our ownership of every aspect of our lives.  They are now at the disposal of the Master, and He has the say over whether we keep them, change them, or get rid of them.  This is why Jesus tells us, before deciding to follow Him, to count the cost, to understand the fullness of the commitment.  He doesn’t just want our hearts; He wants our lives.  

Today, think about what it really means to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus.  Ilse has and she is counting the cost to see if she really wants to pay the price.

© Jim Musser 2012

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