Good servant - well done!
The Cathedral of Murcia in Murcia, Spain is an odd-looking mix of construction and artistic styles. The base was begun in the early 13th century, with the foundation being started in 1385 and the first stones put in place in 1388. The actual construction did not begin until 1394 and was not “finished” until 1467. In reality, the cathedral had numerous additions until the 18th century. The Cathedral’s interior is Gothic; the facade is Baroque. The Cathedral’s bell tower has a first stage with a 15th century Renaissance style and ornamentation from the Hispanic 16th century Plateresque. The second body is in the later Renaissance style and much more purist in ornamentation. The third floor done in the Baroque style has the body with Rococó style and the cupola in the Neoclassic style.
Sounds like someone didn’t plan ahead.
Jesus talked about planning ahead – in terms of being ready to go the distance as His disciple. He wants you to count the cost of discipleship before you get started, so that you can finish well. These were His words:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” (Luke 14:26-30)
It’s not about actually hating your family or yourself – but giving them up and counting them as less important than your relationship with Christ. That’s the cost. Christ ahead of everything else and everyone else. That’s what He wants you to figure out and count up and come to grips with before you get too far down the road in your relationship with Him.
Jesus wants you to estimate the cost, plan ahead, get your bearings, and strike out on the journey well-prepared and completely in step with Him. If you don’t, you’ll stumble over misunderstood expectations, and fall into potholes of uncertainty, and be sideswiped by the allure of life all around you.
You want to be steady and true on your journey with Christ – not walking with your eyes on something else and your feet constantly wandering a different path. You want to be wholly committed; you don’t want to be wishy-washy or indifferent.
Not only do you need to plan ahead and count the cost, but you need to learn to build your life and build it well.
I recall a funny story about two simpletons who went to the lumberyard to get the poles they needed for a tower they were going to build. The lumberman pointed them to the area of the yard where the large lodge-pole pine logs were kept. Several hours went by and the two simpletons had not returned, so the lumberman went to see what they were up to.
He found them holding a pole upright with one end on the ground and the other end high in the air. One would hold the pole while the other would try to shimmy up the pole with a tape measure. Invariably, the man would get a little past halfway up before the pole would topple over. They’d been trying to do this for the better part of a day.
The lumberman asked them what they were doing. “We’re trying to measure these poles” they replied.
“Well, why don’t you lay them down and measure them from end to end?” he asked.
“That’s crazy, mister,” one of the simpletons said. “We don’t want to know how LONG they are, we want to know how TALL they are!”
Yes, you need to count the cost of discipleship ahead of time – but you also need to know how to do the building of a life unconditionally devoted to following Christ. Paul tells you a little about the commitment required for learning to live a life fully-connected to Christ.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
An unconditional follower of Christ must count the cost of discipleship. An unconditional follower of Christ must also learn to build their life and build it well. It’s all about starting well – and finishing well.
When it’s all done – you want to hear Jesus tell you: “Well done!” (Matthew 25:21)
