By Sandy Mayle
On a short-term missions trip some years ago, an American choir traveled from town to town holding concerts throughout the Dominican Republic. As their bus rolled along mile after mile, they noticed buildings in different stages of construction—maybe just a foundation, or a house with walls but no roof.
Their leader explained, “Here the people often build as much as they have money for, and then pause the project until they’ve earned enough to work on it some more.” Some of the sites, though, looked like they’d been completely abandoned. Weatherbeaten construction and overgrown weeds were signs that these owners had started, but for whatever reason were unable to finish.
Jesus said in Luke 14:28-30, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish’” (NIV).
Jesus was cautioning us, too: “Have you thought about what it will cost you to follow me? To make me not only Savior, but Lord of your life? It will be tragic if you decide later on that I am asking too much, and you walk away and abandon the life you started with me. First, consider the cost.”
I wonder, how do you and I consider the cost of following Jesus? Missionary Amy Carmichael once said, “Count the cost, for he tells us to, but take your slate to the foot of the cross and add up the figures there.”
If you have never before counted the cost of following Jesus, I urge you in these moments to take your slate to Calvary. Add up all it could cost you to surrender your life to Christ and compare it to the tremendous price he paid on that tree and the riches of grace and eternal life he offers. You will never regret offering up your life in a small repayment of all he did in taking your sins and your punishment.
And if you have already begun building a life with Christ, commit yourself afresh to him as we worship together at the foot of the cross.
Sandy Mayle is a freelance writer who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Author: Christian Standard
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