Counting the Cost

We return to the character of Peter in today’s readings. Confident and brash Peter. Sometimes, I’m not even sure if he processed his thoughts first before he uttered them! This was probably another ‘foot in the mouth’ situation for Peter. I’ve often wondered why Peter did not stop to consider the prophecy of Christ. After all, if he had acknowledged Him as the Son of God, why didn’t he pause to consider His words? Perhaps, that was a possibility that Peter was not willing to explore because he was overconfident in his commitment to Christ.

Another possibility for Peter’s overconfidence and subsequent denial was that he never really counted the cost of “not denying Christ”. In the 3 years that He was with Peter, Christ had consistently taught about how difficult it would be to become His disciple. His disciple must be willing to deny himself and take up the cross, up to the point that it seems like hatred towards his father, mother, and household (Luke 14:26). But, like all of the other disciples, Peter probably felt that those teachings were for those who were less mature, unlike him. What a grave mistake that was! Rather than considering the words of Christ and examining his own heart in light of them, Peter brushed off the warnings and words of Christ. He had not ever entertained the thought that being a disciple would cost him everything.

So, on that fateful night, when Jesus was arrested and brought to the High Priest’s house, Peter hung around with the crowd from a distance. Close enough for him to see Jesus, but far enough so that he would not get noticed… or so he thought. Very soon, his Galilean accent gave him away. I found it very interesting that out of the 3 people who called out Peter, all 4 Gospels only identified the first one - a servant girl, possibly a non-Israelite - the lowest of low in Jewish society. She was the one who called out Peter for his association with Christ. This was Peter’s opportunity to prove his loyalty to his Master. Instead, he succumbed to fear. Peter sacrificed his association and relationship with his Master for the sake of his pride and his life. He could not love Jesus in the way he had professed because he did not first count the cost.

Peter’s denial mirrors what we go through in our journey of faith at times. We would often sing songs about making a difference in the world, how people need the Lord, or how we would offer our lives for the sake of His kingdom. And yet, like Peter, we are not willing to sacrifice our comfort to meet the needs of others. We are not willing to give up that promotion so that we can continue to be with a struggling colleague in the current department. We are not willing to part with our bonuses to help the lowly. We are not willing to give up being part of an “elite group” so that we can be with the outcast and the forsaken. In short, we are not willing to be like Christ. We deny Him, just like Peter.

We need to count the cost of following Jesus and loving like He loved us. If not, our worship would just be empty words that the Father hears. Count the cost and dare to pay the price to love as Jesus did!

I would like to end by sharing with you a true story of one of my former colleagues, Yenni. Yenni was looking after the Indonesian congregation in our church. She was not a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore. She was here on a work visa. Things got complicated when she was diagnosed with kidney failure and needed a kidney transplant. Being a non-Singaporean meant that her medical bills were not subsidised. It also meant that she was low on the priority list for a kidney donation. There were days when I noticed her skin turning yellow because her kidneys were malfunctioning. Without a kidney transplant, Yenni would not last long. Understanding the seriousness of Yenni’s condition, her husband, Yakob, got his kidneys tested to see if they were a match for Yenni. The results were positive - Yakob was a suitable kidney donor for Yenni. The doctors briefed Yakob and told him that if he were to proceed, he would live with lifelong complications because of a missing kidney. Yakob counted the cost and still decided to proceed with the transplant. Yenni asked Yakob why he decided to do that. She mentioned with tears in her eyes - “Am I not the difficult one in this marriage? I, at times, complained too much and would scold you too. Why, then, are you doing this for me?” Yakob replied, “On the day we got married, I pledged my vow to you - for better, for worse, in sickness and in health… this is why I am willing to give up my kidney in spite of the cost.” The operation was successful, and Yenni is alive today because Yakob counted the cost and chose to pay the cost of being faithful to his wife.

If we do not count the cost of following Christ, our words and worship unto the Lord may be but a resounding gong, just like Peter’s. We need to count the cost for us to follow Christ and to arrive at the place where we are able to pay the price and love like He loved.

Reflection

• What cost did the Holy Trinity pay in order to love and serve you?
• What is the cost you have to pay in order to love as Jesus loved (as a parent, as an employer/employee, as a son/daughter, etc)? Examine your hearts - are you willing to pay the cost?

Application

Be willing to love like Jesus: pour out your love in your offices, in your families, and in your church.