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
What has my faith actually cost me? This is a question I find myself asking today. I also think of a friend of mine who lives in the Congo in Africa. I think of his letters in which he has shared with me atrocious stories of rebel groups coming into his community and rounding up the Christians—executing the men, carting the children off to become soldier slaves and doing unspeakable acts to the young women. When Christ asks us to wager the cost of discipleship, I admit that I struggle to fully understand what that cost will actually look like. However, this text must not be viewed as a scale to measure one culture against another. No matter who we are or where we live, we must all ask ourselves, "Am I living for God, or am I living for something or someone else?" This is something for each of us to ponder and pray over.
Prayer
God of life, help us to reflect on the cost of forgiveness. We pray and give thanks that your son sacrificed the greatest cost on behalf of all our lives. Today we give thanks for those who have sacrificed on behalf of others—may they always be remembered. Amen.