“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.’
Luke 14:28-30
Jesus tells us that when we make a major decision we must calculate the cost of our plans. In this case, He speaks to us of the changes (the cost) that our faith and following His path will bring. Jesus is telling us we have to think about our faith.
This is a tough subject! There is a lot we don’t know about what will come, but Jesus says go anyway. While we may not know the specifics, we have His promise that He is always with us. We need to make the decision that whatever comes, faith in Jesus is worth the cost.
While Jesus tells Thomas “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29), He never tells us not to think. We must engage our faith with all the gifts with which God has blessed us, including our intelligence. A theology professor once told my class “Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean turning off your brain!” Think about your faith and the call Jesus makes on your life so you may follow Him fully.
Gracious God, we are thankful for all Your gifts to us. Help us to use them wisely and for the good of all Your children. Amen.