“Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33).
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44).
Sometimes we make a big deal about the “cost of discipleship,” as though the people who heed the call are a special elite brand of spiritual heroes: the ones who have “paid the price.” The few, the proud, the disciples.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Because part of “counting the cost” is adding up what you gain, not just what you lose. Disciples aren’t people making special sacrifices for God, they’re people who have realized this is the bargain of a lifetime.