That’s a lot of questions and a great deal to think about, but that is what it takes sometimes to get through life, especially a life of following Christ. This passage in Luke is part of what Jesus said to a large crowd of people – probably including his disciples – who were following him as he taught. What does he say about a person who wants to build a tower? What might happen if a person is not prepared for what is in store?
Naturally, such an approach is good advice to anyone who is planning a big venture. If you are thinking about building a house, adding on to your current home or remodeling you will need to know what the cost is going to be, and you will need to decide if you have the resources to get things done. The same is true of buying a car, getting groceries, planning a trip, and so on.
But it is also true about our faith and our involvement in being faithful. That is, after all, what Jesus is getting at. This crowd of followers may not have given enough thought to all the commitment required in following Jesus. What might be expected of them? Will they need to change the way they think and act?
As we enter into a new calendar year it is a good time to examine ourselves and our own commitment to Jesus. As believers we need to estimate the cost of what it will take to be truly Christian. We may need to make changes in our lives – changes in how we look at our finances, changes in our attitudes to others, changes in what we do at work and how we act in public AND private.
Jesus encourages us to estimate the cost of what we will do. We must estimate what it is we are willing to give and give up for God. We must look at what we are willing to do in order to serve God and further His kingdom.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What new thing will you do for God in 2012? Do you have the resources – money, time, spirit, attitude – to get it done?
