In today’s Gospel reading from Luke 14, Jesus speaks about carrying your own cross and following after Him. He then goes on to compare renouncing one’s possessions with building a tower or going off to battle. Interesting stories, but what did Jesus mean by these? Let me take a stab at it.
Jesus says, “Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?…Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?” Jesus was telling His disciples that they needed to be sure to look into the future; to look at the big picture.
Many people like to “live for today.” My radio show is called Seize the Day. While it is certainly important to live in the present moment, we must always keep our eye on the big picture, too. The choices we make today will help determine that big picture. Heaven or hell. Eternal life or eternity without God. If we remember the big picture, then those decisions we make today will lead us to the end that we choose. So, which will you choose today?
Father, help us to remember the big picture. Help us to make choices today that will ultimately lead us to you. Amen.
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