I
spent the majority of my day yesterday building a carpet ball table for our
youth group. It was a simple project, but because of the size and the weight,
it took some time. Actually more time than I had anticipated. That is usually
the case with projects. Once I had completed the project, I was spent.
By
choosing to work on the carpet ball table, I was also choosing not to mow my
lawn, or fill the cracks in my driveway, or accomplish any number of other smaller
projects. This was not a conscious decision, but it was a real one. By saying
yes to one thing, I was in effect saying no to many others things I could have
been doing. Every choice we make comes with a cost.
Life
is full of choices. We often make these choices quickly, without much thought
to the cost. Many of these choices are routine, and the cost is minimal. But
there are a significant number of choices that we make that close the door on
some significant alternatives. Part of being wise is recognizing those choices
and taking the time to weigh the cost.
The
Bible tells us that many of the choices we make in life have a major impact on
our spiritual growth and maturity. We are advised to be wise in the way we
approach these choices. We need to take the time to weigh the cost. Satan
subtly masks the cost of the choices that we make. Usually, it is only after
the fact that we awaken to the consequences of our decision. It is like the old
V-8 commercial where the person smacks their forehead and declares, I could
have had a V-8. The message of that commercial is actually very good. Think
before you act.
Our
relationship with Christ is so important that Jesus said we need to weigh the
cost of following him. "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.'
"Or suppose a king is about to go to
war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is
able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long
way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does
not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26-33
Jesus
was making it clear that we cannot be half-hearted followers of his. If we are
going to be his disciples, we need to be fully committed. We understand this
intellectually, but often miss the point in practice. We get either surprised
by or enticed by the choices of the world. We blindly give in, without thinking
through the cost. After we have made the decision, we become aware of what we
have done.
James
warns us to be careful about the choices that we make. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is
hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an
enemy of God. James 4:4
We
do not often think in such black and white terms. But James’ words should be a
wake-up call for us to be careful in the choices that we make. Every choice has
the potential to move us closer to Christ or farther away from Him.
The
positive alternative to James’ words are Paul’s words in Colossians 3:17. And whatever you do, whether in word or
deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him. Paul is encouraging us to be intentional about the way we use
our time and energy. We can glorify God in whatever we do, if we are wise and
intentional in the choices that we make.
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