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
This past week my granddaughter began her first job. She has done well in all of her summer jobs, but after three months she could always return to the familiar surroundings of her home and university. She is highly gifted and graduated with honors. She is an accomplished violinist but made the choice to major in business. She had several job possibilities but chose one that would challenge her abilities and demand her total allegiance.
She has now boarded the plane, so to speak, and the question may have passed through her mind, "Did I make the right choice? It is too late to ask the pilot to turn around and go to another destination." I am one of her cheerleaders and I believe in her, but few of us don't get butterflies when embarking on a new job.
Luke shares with us some of Jesus' conversations with those disciples who have made the choice to follow him to Jerusalem. All of the gospel writers have told us that every one of them had some serious misgivings about this new shift in destination. Jesus could have alleviated much of their anxiety with a few words, "Don't worry, men, everything will be okay. We will be staying at the Jerusalem Hilton and having lamb chops the first night."
But, Jesus didn't make their choice any easier. In fact, he made it worse. "You will be separated from your family. Your business back home will have to be liquidated. I will be demanding your complete loyalty. Count the cost before you go any further." Every choice has both promise and consequences.
Prayer
Father, we have made the choice to follow Jesus. We want to be a part of the coming of your kingdom. But, we will never make it without your help. Amen!