cost or consequence

As I continue to reflect on my recent time in Russia I have thought about frequent comments about the "cost" of following Jesus. During my stay I was inspired by wonderful brothers and sisters who had chosen to serve God in spite of hardship and difficulty. Some had suffered in their family relationships. Some face great financial challenges. When we hear about these challenges, we respond with comments about the "cost" of following Jesus. I have even heard comments about how much more it costs to follow Jesus in other countries. Our comments reveal something about our lack of understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. The consequences of following Jesus may differ from country to country, but the cost is the same. In order to follow Jesus, it costs everyone the same. It costs us everything. Jesus requires everything. In America, we have bought into an idea of following that is less than accurate. Jesus wants all of us. We try to convince ourselves that Jesus will be thankful to receive part of our time, part of our devotion, a partial commitment, half a heart. He's not. The cost of following Jesus in America equals the cost in Russia. The consequences may differ, but the cost is the same.