At Any Cost

All of life is a trade-off, a balance sheet. We look at the bananas and wonder, "Are they worth that price?" We weigh "having fun" and "doing school work" and decide which is worth more. We decide if it's more important to us to sleep or stay up and watch that show we like. Trade-offs. Eventually there is this pyramid thing where this is more valuable than that and these are more valuable than this until we get to "This ... this is the singularly most valuable thing of all." Oh, sure, that may change over time (measured in years or microseconds) or circumstances and the like, but there is something at the top.

What is at the top of your pyramid?

Paul wrote that Christ is "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named." (Eph 1:21) God has put "all things in subjection under His feet." (Eph 1:22) Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." (Matt 6:24) He said, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:26-28)

"Calculate the cost." There it is, the trade-off, the balance sheet. What is the cost of following Christ? Everything. Every last things you have. Your family, your very life. Oh, but the treasures you get in return!

What is at the top of your pyramid? Do you follow Christ while it's comfortable and convenient but draw the line when friends, family, society or someone else pushes back? Do you submit to Him as long as you like what He says, but not when it's not so pleasant? Is obedience okay only as long as you approve? Count the cost. Will you serve Christ at any cost? Or will you not be His disciple? Those are the only two choices Jesus gave.