My youngest granddaughter, Lottie, has been begging for someone to take her to the store. She has money from her birthday and was dying to spend it. On Saturday, we were going to Walmart and told her she could come along with us. She ran upstairs to retrieve her bank, where she keeps her money. Surprisingly, she had a good bit of money. She counted it and had over $100.
In my mind, I was thinking how long this trip to Walmart might take, because a nine-year-old and decisions on what to buy don't mix well together. She counted out $16 and put it in her wallet, and returned the remainder of her money to her bank. She informed me she only wanted to take that $16 so she would not be tempted to spend all of her money. She wanted to continue to have some set aside for other things. In Lottie's own way, she was calculating the consequences of what "might" happen if she took all of her money with her. She decided to only take a portion to keep from making a rash decision or careless purchase. She was counting the cost.
When you count the cost of something that has happened or will happen, you consider how the consequences of your actions or an event might affect you or others. I was thinking about things in our life that we really should be conscious of when we count the cost. I know it is a good decision financially to count the cost. In Luke 14, the Bible talks about this in reference to construction. It says, "Who would begin construction on a building without first counting the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?"
I think it's probably a wise choice to count the cost before we spend our money on "extras" such as vacations or large purchases. God wants us to be wise with our money. We need to count the cost not only on large items but also in our everyday finances. I think at times I might not correctly determine a "want" from a "need." I believe God wants us to be financially responsible for all our money. We should count the cost of our purchases, big or small, to determine how our spending will affect us.
I was also thinking about how we should count the cost before we speak. I don't know about you, but at times I can speak before I think about what I'm saying. I'm sure there are instances where my words might come out not as gentle or as kind as they need to be, especially when I am upset. If I stop and consider my words and count the cost of the consequences of those words, I am able to choose my words appropriately to avoid future damage or hurt feelings. Our words are powerful. They can build someone up or tear someone down. We would be wise to consider the cost of our words before speaking.
I think about how sinful we can be and yet God still thought the cost of sending his son to die for us was totally worth saving us. That thought is overwhelming. Knowing He paid the highest cost for me motivates me to consider the cost of my actions and words and how they might affect others around me. I want to be careful with my words, my money, and my time. I want my testimony for God to count.
___
Jill Johnson finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and Georgian. Jill is retired from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
Share with others
