A Costly Choice
/A mountaineer preparing to climb a tall peak sits with a friend in his garage, going over checklists of equipment and provisions and reviewing the months of training they've just endured. “We’re ready”, he says. A middle aged couple sits with their financial planner at the kitchen table. They’ve been disciplined and diligent, and have saved over the years wherever they could. Retirement is coming soon, and because they planned well there’ll be enough to sustain their hopes and dreams in the golden years—even if something unforeseen should happen. A developer stands looking over a large tract of land. In his mind he can see it all—the mall, the parks, the homes and apartments, the small businesses, and the schools. His business manager speaks next: “It’s a great vision, but we simply can’t do it right now. We don’t have the resources.”
When it comes to “big things”, like buying a house or taking a trip or starting a large project or influencing others on a large scale, most people are careful to cross every t and dot every i. We know that careful plans and calculations lead to right choices. So why do you suppose, that when it comes following Christ as his disciple, so many are content to live with a choice base solely on emotions and feelings? And why are so many surprised to learn afterward that following Jesus is a rather costly choice?