Charlotte Elia offers a reflection on Luke 14:25-33.

"You see, too many of our churches and far too much of American society are filled with nominal Christians, those who are Christian in name only. Those are folks who have aligned themselves with this faith for friends, power, social networks, and warm, fuzzy feelings rather than mission, the hard work of disciple making, the transformative task of love. Their congregational life is practically indiscernible from that of a country club or garden club, a simple fellowship of like-minded people who enjoy each other’s company. Jesus doesn’t promise anything like that. He keeps telling people that if you’re doing this well, if you’re taking this faith seriously and enacting it through radical love, that it will eat you alive."