05/18/2016 PLAN AHEAD AND STAY ACTIVE
Luke 14:28-31 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? [Revised Standard translation]
Biblical Comment
The Bible encourages all of us to plan ahead, to carefully think about the what we need to accomplish, to consider our strengths and weaknesses, to evaluate our present situation and, in general, to consider the “costs” in implementing and completing our goals. Two examples are given.
The first example is that of a person building a tower without planning ahead or taking the necessary steps to complete the job. The vision was there. In fact, the vision is lofty! This person does not want to build a mere house, but a tower! However, the execution is weak. Perhaps the person started building without a blueprint, or underestimated the cost of the building materials and ran out of funds. Perhaps he did not evaluate his own strengths and weaknesses and did not consider the physical or psychological sacrifices necessary to complete the task.
The second example given in Luke 14 is that of a king going to war. This example suggests that the stakes are high. During Biblical times losing a war, not only meant the end of the king’s reign but the destruction of a whole nation. Men were killed, women were widowed, children were orphaned and, once defeated, survivors were taken into captive as slaves. Property, possessions and even religious freedoms were lost in times of war. Entering into war required careful consideration, counsel and planning, because “everything” was at stake. For this reason the king sought wise counsel from military experts, prophets, wise men and from GOD.