Those of you who do not give up everything
you have cannot be my disciple.
—Luke 14:33
Many fitness center owners are okay with people paying a membership fee, showing up a few times, and then becoming no-shows.
Fitness trainer Jesse Jones isn’t. He terminates your membership and refunds your money if you sign up and don’t show up. “Come and see me when you’re serious,” Jones says.
Spiritual sign-ups also have lots of dropouts (Jn 6:66).
These come to mind
A rich young man: When love of wealth collided with desire for eternal life, love of wealth won (Mt 19:16–22).
Demas: When love of the world collided with discipleship, love of the world won (2 Tm 4:10).
Judas: When love of money collided with loyalty to Jesus, love of money won, eliciting one of the saddest sentences ever spoken: “It would have been better for him if he had not been born” (Mk 14:21).
Spiritual fitness requires
vigorous daily exercise.