The Cost of Discipleship

Recommended by my Korean Christian colleague, I have been reading the book Disciples are Made not Born by Walter A. Henrichsen. We agreed to share one chapter a week. Although he is now working oversea and we cannot gather as usual, I keep reading to keep the momentum going.

In Chapter 3, The Cost of Discipleship, the author mentioned one point that strikes me a lot. In Numbers 14, after knowing the cost of entering the Promised Land is far too high, Israelites rebelled and decided to turn back to Egypt. In verse 3, “Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.” (NIV)

Whether it is not just an excuse, what the Israelites worried makes sense. As the head of the family, I need to ensure the well-being of my family members. Fighting the giants would make me get killed easily. If that’s the case, who is going to take care of my family?

I am a family man. I can devote most of my time and energy for the family. When the author said, “One of the first signs of unbelief is an undue concern for the family.” I felt uneasy. I know it is true that God’s way is the best for the family. He loves my wife and my children, even more than I do. Yet, just knowing that I may be out of the game for a reason that is not directly link to my family does not feel right for me.

The author did offer an alternative. As in Luke 14:31-32, we may make a deal with Satan, saying I will not be a disciple, and ask him to leave me alone. Satan would gladly say, “you’ve got a deal.” But do we have a guarantee?

So, at the end, the choice is obvious. But I do need to calculate the cost, knowing what is hindering me from letting go, understanding what it means to “destroy all avenues of retreat” and follow HIM. Without that, we can be sure any attempt would fall short.