Luke 14:28

New Living Translation (NLT)

“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

For meditation

Their husbands were dead, but they decided to live with their mother-in-law, Naomi, who was also a widow. That made their home in Moab, a house of three widows. Naomi was from Bethlehem in Israel, and the two young ladies, Ruth and Orpah, were local girls. But now Naomi is returning to her country for good, so Ruth and Orpah decide to follow her to Bethlehem. Naomi thinks more about the future of the two young ladies than herself and so she asks them to count the cost of their decision. They were young, with better prospect of remarrying in their country than in a foreign land. Besides, she was too old to meet their needs in that way. She had had a bitter experience in Moab and was facing an uncertain future in Israel. So, why would she burden them any further? (Ruth 1:8-13). In other words, “Count the cost, ladies, before you decide to tie your future to me.”

1. Is that not what discipleship is all about?
2. Hasn’t Christ told us to consider the cost of following Him before taking that step (Lk. 14:28)?
3. Whereas Orpah found the cost too high to pay and so bid Naomi goodbye (14); didn’t Ruth impute a higher value to their relationship than her life in Moab (16-17)?
4. Do you see why Ruth was able to endure the hardship and discomfort of settling in Israel (2:2)? Can you understand why God brought her into the lineage of David (4:19-22), and consequently, of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:5-6, 16)?
5. Could this failure to count the cost be the source of our struggles and failures in our walk with Jesus? So, can we do that now and make an informed, heart decision to give up everything and go the distance with Jesus? If we do not, we will walk away from Him when the going gets tough (Jn. 6:66).

I pray we remember how Jesus concluded His exposition on the cost of discipleship: “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own (Lk. 14:33).”

So: May the comforts and glitter of our past lose their power; and may we hold onto Jesus; trusting Him with our now and future, so that we can run the race well and qualify for the prize when He comes (1 Cor. 9:26-27; 2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Discipleship with Jesus is costly, but eternally rewarding.

Shalom