It seems there was a barber in a small local town who had been the only barber in town for years. Everyone went to this barber to get their hair cut. Then, one day a big hair salon franchise came to town and opened up shop. They advertised, “All Haircuts for $3.”
Slowly, the barber’s business began to dwindle. He just couldn’t compete. In a last-ditch effort to save his business, he hired a business consultant. The consultant spent a day poring over the barber’s books asking many questions. At the end of the day the barber asked the consultant, “So what do you think? Should I close up shop?”
The consultant said, “Not yet. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
The next day the consultant showed up with a huge banner that he hung in front of the barber shop that said, “We Fix $3 Haircuts!”
We all want quality but we want it cheap. We want the best but want to pay the least. That’s only natural. But what about your walk with Christ? Are you a cheap Christian? Are you trying to keep your costs down in your walk with the Lord? Do you want quality with Him but that which costs you as little as possible? Are you satisfied with cheap alternatives in your walk with the Lord?
The Lord Jesus Himself told us that we cannot walk with Christ without great cost. To have quality in your walk with the Lord it will cost you in time, money, it will cost you your pride, it will cost you your self-reliance and it will cost you your life! There is no cheap alternative for time spent with our creator God. There are no corners to cut in time spent with God.
In life whatever costs us the least is the way we will usually go. If we can just get by we think everything is OK. We don’t realize that if we buy a cheap imitation we will be replacing that imitation before long. We expect great returns for little investment. Why are we that way with our Lord? Why are we willing to pay the least and expect the best in our walk with Jesus? Why are we cheap in our walk with the Lord? expecting great returns for little investment.
Luke 14:27-28: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”
It costs to serve Jesus. It will cost you time to get up early and read the Bible and spend time in prayer each day. It will cost time to attend church Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday. How many Christians do we have who are trying to get as much sleep and as little Bible reading as they can? How many Christians try to get as many worldly activities and as little church as they can?
While it costs to serve Jesus it also pays very well! Matthew 25:21: “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Proverbs 8:17: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on 98.9 WSIP FM. Check out the Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church Facebook page and our website tomahawkmbc.com.