“Close, but No Disciple”
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28 (NRSV)
I learned early on in life that close only counts in “horseshoes and hand grenades” which means…
- An almost complete assignment is still incomplete.
- A board cut too short cannot be stretched.
- One point less than the other team constitutes a loss.
It may seem unfair, but that is how our world operates. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, there was a phrase common to traveling carnivals, “Close, but no cigar.” At a time quite different from today, cigars were used as adult prizes for various games and, in order to win one, a person could not be off by even the slimmest of margins. Close, while impressive for some feats, resulted in failure to win a prize.
Jesus knew there were some following him that day who were close to being disciples. I envision a setting similar to those on a Los Angeles city street where a celebrity finds him or herself overwhelmed by the paparazzi. Cameramen and women, together with reporters, press in for their next piece of frontpage fodder. Mix in a few autograph-seeking fans and it creates the kind of environment where the man or woman can hardly move. Everyone wishes to be with, hear from, or document his or her whereabouts. Yes, for all that Jesus had been saying and doing, a crowd was bound to be close at hand.
Early in John’s Gospel (chapter 6), Jesus accused a crowd of searching for him not because they had witnessed his “signs” (miracles aimed at driving home a deeper truth), but because they had been filled with loaves and fish. Seeing those about him on the occasion recorded in Luke 14 caused him to stop everyone in their tracks with words that are often viewed as some of Jesus’ most shocking. He spoke of hating family, renouncing one’s own life, and cross bearing. Those are not exactly the kinds of things which maintain a following. At this point, my mind is carried back to the temptation narrative found earlier in the Gospel (chapter 4) and how each opportunity was in some way aimed at giving people what they wanted. From the outset of his ministry, Jesus let it be made known that was not how he would go about drawing in followers.
With Jesus’ words, he was inviting would-be followers to count the cost associated with casting their lot with him. What would they have to give up? Which commitments would need less attention? Jesus pulled in an illustration familiar to first-century Galilee: a building project. More specifically, he spoke of building a tower the kind of which was common to vineyards of that day. Stone towers were built in close proximity to vineyards for the purpose of storage and serving as a lookout against thieves and animals. According to Jesus, no one would start such a project without knowing whether or not the funds were sufficient to complete the tower.
When I was growing up, I recall a house that stood along a route we frequented. It had a foundation, the framework, and a roof, but stood unfinished for YEARS. I have no idea the backstory as to whose property it was or what had led to the hiatus in building. Perhaps someone passed away or the finances ran short. I guess I will never know the full story in this life, but it did cause me to wonder for the longest time. For as impressive as that structure started out being, it did not see its full potential. Jesus’ words remind us that while starting is good finishing is even better. It is true of a project as well as discipleship.
So long as things were going well with Jesus’ ministry and the people saw and heard what they wished, they did not mind aligning themselves with Jesus. However, Jesus longed for more than curiosity seekers or, as some have referenced it, fair-weather followers. When Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd, it was a moment of decision. Did they really understand what they were getting into and where the journey would lead them? In Luke 9:51, readers are informed of Jesus having set his face toward Jerusalem which is an indication there was no turning back for him. If those who made up the crowd that day were all in, everything would have been fine, but Jesus knew their hearts and that some would lose heart when the journey became difficult.
The words of Jesus continue to challenge us today to consider the cost involved with the way of discipleship. That very word implies discipline which invites the weighing of all variables. Jesus was and is no trickster. To follow Jesus comes with no surprises or strings attached. There is honesty in his expectations and we must decide, based upon what Jesus has set before us, if we are in or out. May our desire to follow Jesus be that of complete surrender and may our proclamation be “No turning back, no turning back!”
Together in Christian Discipleship,
The Reverend Kelley Smart