Counting the Cost

Now large crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions. ‘Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure heap; they throw it away. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ Luke 14:25-35

Many tribes throughout this continent have traditions of winter storytelling and drawing on hides to remember the stories. Tribes of the plains, like Lakota, Dakota and others drew a pictograph from each year, in an ongoing circle on the hide, to remember the events and important moments in the past year. These written records, the winter counts, were invaluable to telling the people. Stories of the past years were told in the winter when people were gathered indoors for the long, cold days. We are invited by Jesus to remember our stories and recount them, and to be willing to give up all to follow him and find new stories and people. We are in an uncharted time in history. We will all be invited to leave our judgements and old stories behind to discover new ones.

Gracious Creator, you blessed our ancestors

whether they were adventurous or fearful

whether they were free people or enslaved

you love them then and you love us still.

We cling to the comforts, familiar and known

we resist giving up what we know to follow

we think we our safe behind our status and money

yet in every age you call us all to follow you.

Help us to be ready to give all we have

strong enough to trust in your road ahead

confident in your love retelling our stories

and remaking us all for the holy work ahead. Amen.