Counting the Cost

Very few parts of the world have as many cultural Christians as North America. Here, a great percentage claim to be Christians (because their parents were?) yet have no idea what it means to follow Jesus Christ. It might sound like a good thing, but may also be a false assurance of their actual standing with God.

Becoming a Christian is easy, but following Jesus is not easy, nor is it a trivial matter. This is a lifestyle of self-denial in the most ordinary things. Jesus calls me to abide in Him and rely on His power at all times. I must be willing to forsake my own way for His, even when doing so is an inconvenience to say the least, and even when I don’t fully understand why He wants it that way. I must also accept that following Him could result in being misunderstood, persecuted and ridiculed. It goes even farther. Jesus said,

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. “Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill, but men throw it out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Luke 14:26-35)

These are strong words. Sometimes Christians soften that “hate” with talk about priorities, that Jesus must come before family, but following Jesus isn’t putting Him at the top of a priority list, but making Him the center of everything. Some of my family think that my faith is foolish, yet dare I value their opinion more than His?

I didn’t do anything to earn or deserve salvation or eternal life, but this life involves becoming like Jesus. It means dropping what I want and engaging in a battle against enemies totally opposed to that happening. Without absolute surrender of self the contest is hopeless.

Yet on the other side of this warning about the cost of discipleship, Jesus promises joy. He says His joy does not depend on circumstances. No matter what kind of trials I face or what people do to me, His joy comes from a well that never runs dry. It bubbles up and sustains me in those trials. It is a joy that no one can take from me (John 16:22).

This world can be a tough place to live, even for those without faith. However, Jesus says, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Because of Him, I can follow Him. It isn’t about my power or strength because His strength is perfected in weakness. It isn’t about the amount of faith I have either, for faith like a mustard seed can move mountains. It is about Jesus, and when He is at the center of my life, the tough stuff can be conquered.