Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

The Cost of Being Jesus’ Follower^(A)

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me but ·does not hate [or loves more than me; ^CJesus is using hyperbole to emphasize his point] his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—or even ·life [life itself; or his own life]—he cannot be my ·follower [disciple]. ²⁷ Whoever ·is not willing to [^Ldoes not] carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my ·follower [disciple]. ²⁸ ·If you want [^LFor which of you who wants…?] to build a tower, you first sit down and ·decide [calculate; figure out] how much it will cost, to see if you have enough money to finish the job. ²⁹ If you don’t, you might lay the foundation, but you would not be able to finish. Then all who would see it would ·make fun of [mock; ridicule] you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build but was not able to finish.’

³¹ “If a king is going to ·fight [meet in battle; wage war against] another king, first ·he will [^Lwill he not…?] sit down and plan. He will decide if he and his ten thousand soldiers can ·defeat [^Lengage/meet in battle] the other king who has twenty thousand soldiers. ³² If he can’t, then while the other king is still far away, he will send ·some people [an embassy; a messenger] to speak to him and ask for [terms of] peace. ³³ In the same way, you must give up everything you have to be my ·follower [disciple].

Don’t Lose Your Influence^(B)

³⁴ “Salt is good, but if it loses its salty taste, ·you cannot make it salty again [^Lhow can it be seasoned?]. ³⁵ It is no good for the soil or for ·manure [the manure pile]; it is thrown away.

“·Let those with ears use them and listen [^LThe one who has ears to hear, let him hear].”