Have you counted it recently? Have you read the accounts of those who did the math and came up short? Does it still convict you, or have you decided that these folks were just exceptional cases? Remember the guy who said he would follow Jesus anywhere? Jesus reminded him about some facts of nature.
Yes, He said, God has provided places for all the animals of the world to sleep nights.
It's only right that creation rests.
Foxes have their dens, birds have their trees, deer hang out in a protected field.
But if you follow me, I can't promise that you'll sleep every night in a 5-star hotel.
I can't promise you will sleep in a comfortable home.
Or any home.
Or with a roof over your head.
Or at all.
We're not sure that the guy hung around long enough to hear all the benefits.
Like, the very Presence of God in his soul.
Meaningful work.
Power over sickness and demons and all the works of the enemy.
Name written in Heaven.
The text is silent.
Evidently the man was too.
Suddenly a lot to think about.
Have we thought about it? Then there was the would-be disciple who said he'd follow Jesus at any time.
Except now.
There's this funeral I have to attend.
I'll meet up with you in the next town.
Jesus was not impressed.
He had to give the seeker His life-view.
His view is that the whole world lies in wickedness, and we are of God.
Two camps.
Which are you in, He wants to know? If you're in my camp, follow Me, now.
Tomorrow you'll have something else to do.
Are you in or out? And there wasthe one who said he would follow at any cost.
Except, of course, my family.
I mean, we are to honor our family, right? Let me go say good-bye, get their blessing, move on with you.
And if you don't get their blessing? Is there a Laban in your family who will connive to keep you with them? Are you able to break that tie right now? You're with me now, but already looking back? Jesus flatly refused family guy.
Then there's you, and there's me.
Modern-day folks he still has to deal with, and what tough nuts we have been to crack.
Hanging on to our houses, our life styles, our comforts, our belly-needs.
By what right do we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ? The fact that we attend Sunday School and church? Does that make us a cut above? Because we read more chapters per week than any of our friends? Pray more? What constitutes discipleship? Will there always be something in our way to full commitment? Always a child or a mortgage payment or a piece of that education? Or are we a part of that body that feels there is a class of non-servants in the kingdom? That the work is to be done by the elite, and the rest are to sigh and watch them, filled with awe and admiration? That some are "called", and others are just to be "present?" A group who "get saved",then survive, and die? I don't believe any of that.
But I confess that I still have trouble relating to the men and women of Scripture and our history who have given all.
We look to them as exceptional.
They are in fact the norm.