Luke 14:25-33 (NRSV)
Read Luke 14:25-33 on biblegateway.com
Verse 25Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, Verse 26"Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Verse 27Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Verse 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Verse 29Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, Verse 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Verse 31Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? Verse 32If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. Verse 33So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
Devotion
My wife hates to pay full price for anything. She is always looking for a sale or a bargain before she will spend any money. There are probably many people like her or we would not be bombarded with coupons, money-savers, and going-out-of-business sales. Merchants discovered long ago that, to attract buyers, they must make them believe what whatever they purchase is a bargain.
In our own way, and just the opposite, each of us is called to pay full price in our relationship with Christ. We have to do it the hard way because, if following Christ is a bargain, then it is not of much value. The cost of discipleship is great because it was worth the suffering and death of God's Son. Discipleship is not a bargain, but worth everything that God has put into it for us.
Prayer
Lord, may we always value our relationship with you as something bought with a great price. Help us count the cost in lives of fruitful discipleship. Amen.