Articles
Counting the Cost
When I was in college, I answered an ad for a part-time fence building job. I had never built a wooden fence in my life! However, I was up for the challenge if it involved making a few bucks. Little did I know, I was starting to work for a man that was an expert fence builder and a great teacher. What I learned for the year that I worked for this man was the importance of doing a job and doing it right. I also learned that when you are building a fence, accuracy is of uppermost importance in determining what it will cost to build the fence that you are seeking to build. You want to make sure that you have all the materials it takes to finish the job, so you "count the cost." You make a good estimation of the materials that will be needed for you to complete what needs to be completed.
When Jesus spoke in Luke 14:28-30, he said, "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.'" What Jesus is speaking to here is about what it takes to be His disciple. When we make the commitment to follow him we need to make sure that we are all in and have "counted the cost." Being a disciple of Christ means that we are willing to follow Jesus and being committed to living a life that puts Him first! Jesus doesn't want those following him half committed to getting the job completed. He wants us to be fully committed to following him and being his disciple IF we make the choice to follow.
A disciple follows closely in the footsteps of his teacher, watching all that he does, the way he talks and walks. A disciple spends every waking hour that they can with their teacher so that they learn how to be more like them. Jesus says in Matthew 10:24-25, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. Are you following Jesus so closely that you are becoming more like Him?
