Day 21 — Count the Cost

“And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?”

— Luke 14:27–28 (BSB)

Picture the scene. Jesus is popular. Large crowds are walking with Him down the road. Any normal leader would be thrilled and keep the mood high. Jesus turns around and says something that thins the crowd out.

He talks about a cross. In the first century nobody heard that word as jewellery or a nice symbol. A cross meant one thing: a man walking to his own execution. Jesus is saying that following Him is not a hobby you add to your week. It is a whole life handed over.

Then He tells a story about a tower. Most of us have seen one of these: a building that started with big plans and then stopped. Concrete pillars with steel rods sticking out of the top, rusting for years because the money ran out. Everyone who walks past knows the story. Somebody didn’t count the cost.

Jesus doesn’t want followers like that. He would rather you knew the price at the start than quit halfway.

So what can following Jesus cost a teenager? It might cost you the joke everyone else laughs at. It might cost you the group chat where people tear someone apart. It might cost you a weekend plan, a relationship that was pulling you away from God, or the easy popularity that comes from going along with everything. For some readers it costs far more. In some families and countries, choosing Jesus can mean anger at home, losing friends or real danger. If that’s you, Jesus is not surprised, and He has not left you alone.

Here’s why it’s not a trick. First, Jesus counted the cost before He asked you to. The Bible says that “for the joy set before Him” He “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). He never asks you to walk anywhere He hasn’t walked first.

Second, what you gain is bigger than what you give. Jesus told a story about a man who found treasure hidden in a field, and “in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44). Notice the word joy. The man wasn’t gritting his teeth. He had worked out the maths. Paul, who lost his career, his reputation and in the end his life, said, “I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

Third, counting the cost isn’t the same as paying it in your own strength. You don’t build this tower alone. The One who calls you also supplies the resources. That’s the difference between a half-built tower and a finished one.

So sit down, the way Jesus said. Be honest about what it might cost you. Then look at Him and decide again. He’s worth it.

Think about it: What is one thing that following Jesus has already cost you, or might cost you this year? What do you gain that makes it worth it?

Try this: Write two lists in a notebook or on your phone: “What following Jesus might cost me” and “What I get in Jesus.” Keep the second list where you’ll see it.

Go deeper: The Pilgrim’s Progress (For Teens) by John Bunyan — the moment the road gets hard, Christian’s friend Pliable climbs out of the swamp on the side nearest home and quits, while Christian, sinking, keeps facing the right way. Start with chapter 2, “The Slough of Despond.”

Lord Jesus, You counted the cost of saving me and You paid it all on the cross. I don’t want to be a half-built tower. Show me honestly what following You will ask of me, and give me the courage to say yes. When it gets hard, remind me that You are worth more than anything I give up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.