You Might Make Fewer Mistakes If You Do This.

Lk 14:28-30 - "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?  29 "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,  30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  NASU 

• Calculate The Cost 

I am probably the last person in the world who should be writing about this topic. But then again I have plenty of stories I can share with you because I was one who would immediately begin something and would think about it later.
 
I can remember on numerous occasions saying to myself, "If I would have taken a few minutes to plan this out I could have saved myself some time and money. Serago you are an idiot."
 
So, if you have some ideas about future plans do yourself a favor and calculate the cost before you jump into it. 

• What Will It Take To Build This Tower? 

Jesus says the man who wants to build a tower is to FIRST sits down and calculate the cost.
 
How does he do this?
 
He would make a plan. What will be the dimensions of this tower? How many workers will I need? What type of materials and how much of each type will I need? How much money will be needed to finance this project? How long will this job take?
 
These are just some of the questions that a wise person would ask before the project begins. 

• What Tower Are You Trying To Build? 

In life we find ourselves trying to build something. So what is it that you are trying to build?
 
Are you trying to build a family, team or a business?  Are you trying to build a nest egg for your retirement? Whatever it is you are trying to build if you follow the advice of Jesus you will at least sit down and make a plan. 

• What Was Jesus' Parable Referencing 

In this parable of building a tower and calculating the cost, Jesus was talking about what everyone should do before they become a Christian.
 
In our society today where you have preachers putting the pressure on people to make a decision about becoming a Christian during a 30 minute sermon this was not the case with Jesus.
 
Jesus was saying if you want to follow me or be a disciple of Mine you better think about what it is going to cost you. This is not to be some quick decision.
 
I have been a Christian for 40 years and a Minister for over 30 of those years. I have seen a lot of people start down the path of being a Christian but somewhere along the road they quit.
 
This parable is true in a lot of ways but it will never be any truer than it is when one becomes a Christian. If you are listening to a preacher and he is encouraging you to be a Christian and he is telling you how great your life is going to be once you make that decision and you will never have any problems. I would get away from there and quickly.
 
Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 14:27 - "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…."
 
If you are carrying your cross, you are in trouble. You are going to die. You are walking to your death. There is going to be no tomorrow for you. Jesus says this is the path His disciples travel. Jesus' disciples expect hard times here on earth and they will overcome these hard times because God is with us.

One second's worth of time in heaven and you will forget all the suffering you ever had to endure on earth. 
 
Now before you become a disciple of Jesus' you may want to think about the cost and after you have thought about the cost do yourself a favor and think about the reward.
 
Think On These: 
 
When it comes to food for thought some folks are on a hunger strike.
 
Thinking is only a process of talking to yourself intelligently.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word