High Cost

Jesus says that you have to be willing to give up a lot to be one of his followers.  He offers the image of a fellow who wants to build a tower.  The fellow first calculates what it will take, and if he does not the what he needs, then don't start to project.  If you don't have what you need, but begin anyway, then you bail out before it is finished.  Any major change/effort takes a lot of giving up of stuff, be it things, lifestyle and even relationships.  I find a lot of young people who commit to Rah Rah fundamentalist religious groups, who say that they are giving up lots to go in this new direction or take on this new way of life.  They have no real job, beyond some part time thing.  They rent  and don't own much furniture.  Their parents cover a lot  of expenses.  They might be giving up some crazy young people weekend choices, which is a start.  Check with where they are in 10 years.  They won't be in the Rah Rah groups.  They did not have what it takes to deal with the big world out there.  My own shortcomings have shown me how hard it is to change.  That was Jesus' point.  Once the cross came into view, everyone pretty much scattered.  Oh, the women hung around, but my church won't give them much official power.  Well, Jesus could not ordained either.  He was a Jew.