Counting the Cost

I’ve been thinking about a few things. I heard a statement a few weeks ago about counting the cost. I always thought counting the cost dealt with finances and time. It does, but that’s not all. The comment was public speakers, pastor’s, evangelists, etc. received part of their reward on the earth by the compliments and accolades they receive from people who hear them speak. It got me to thinking. What else is there to counting the cost?

I had a leader call me the other night. She is stepping up in the Refuge and taking a more defined leadership role. Not just doing things to make the service go smooth, but a spiritual role with the young girls. God has put a challenge in front of her, and she is responding. The phone call was one about family, school, boys and life in the future. It was a call based on confusion, not just being unsure of the future. After talking a while I challenged her with this statement, “If we are going to step up and see God use us we must be prepared to face the heat of the battle. When the enemy sees us step forward, he will do whatever he can to stop us, distract us, confuse us, or even kill us.”

Now I’m not one to give the enemy more credit that he deserves, but I am not an ostrich either. I know the enemy is real. I know he hates me. I know he is out to get me. After years of discouragement from this knowledge, I have come to the realization that I have all authority over the enemy. I am out to get him! So I told her that part of the cost is the constant battle we face as the enemy tries to find ways to defeat us. We are in this thing to win the lost. Satan is in this thing to claim the lost. If we are going to fulfill the call God has given us to spread this Gospel then we must be prepared to fight. We must be prepared to face our greatest fears. We will find, however, that our fears will begin to shrink when we come to love people the way God does. See perfect love, the Word says, casts out all fear. Why? Have you ever seen a frightened mom stand by and let her children drown or burn? No. She will go in after them. See the love he has for her children is greater than the love she has for her own safety. It’s not that the fear goes away, it is just shadowed by a greater force. Love will conquer all.

So in closing this is what I have concluded about counting costs. The greatest cost we must count is that we can no longer pick and choose who we love. If we are going to reach the lost, self-love must become a lesser drive that love for others. We can no longer afford the luxury of choosing who is saved. God’s children are dying. He has placed his love in us and now we must go in and get them. If I’m fighting with my dad, mom, sister, brother, wife, husband… whatever, whoever, I have to see them as God sees them. I have to lay down my choice and take up his command. I must be a witness. I must be his hands and feet. I have to…well, this is where it becomes personal. What is it that each of us has to do? I can’t count the cost for you.

Peace <><