The Cost of Nondiscipleship
Sunk Cost Fallacy and our Discipleship Options
Dear Trinity, Jesus’ grace. Theta recently finished John Mark Comer’s book, Live No Lies. In the epilogue he discusses at length the massively insightful and challenging book on the Sermon on the Mount by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship. Discipleship is whole-life costly, and shouldn’t be represented any other way. Following Jesus is not a religiously-segmented portion of our life, nor is it a niche self-care spirituality. It is comprehensive of every aspect of life.
When Starbucks began, they fancied themselves a ‘third place’ not a first-place home or a second-place campus, but a more neutral gathering place. Some thought the church should consider this as their metaphor–a third place. I remember being a little persuaded by that thinking. Now I think it is the wrong metaphor for us. Being a part of the church doesn’t just happen in church-spaces. Being Christ’s church is as important at home and on work or school campus. Church isn’t a third place, it is an every place. We are called to a costly discipleship. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, he would deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16.24-26). Costly.
Comer’s insight came from this intriguing question, “What about the cost of nondiscipleship?” Following Jesus is costly. But, so is not following Jesus. Following our fleshly desires is costly. Following the “keeping up with the Jones’” is costly. Following a workaholic boss is costly. Following a celebrity is costly. Ultimately, what isn’t costly? Life is costly.
Sam is my third-born, a double major including Biz/Econ at Wheaton College. He recently introduced me to the Sunk Cost Fallacy, “the phenomenon whereby a person is reluctant to abandon a strategy or course of action because they have invested heavily in it, even when it is clear that abandonment would be more beneficial.” How often do we say of some costly investment of time/money/energy, “I’m in too deep!” We reason, “Maybe I shouldn’t have bought this/started this/devoted myself to this, but it’s too late to change course.”
It is not too late. The cost of discipleship is expensive, but so is the cost of nondiscipleship. The difference is that Jesus, the one who calls you to follow, has himself given everything to issue this summons.
Jesus told a story about a treasure hidden in a field that is worth spending everything to buy the field to gain the treasure (Matthew 13.44). Who is the treasure? Is it Jesus, or is it you and me? Who pays for the field? Is it Jesus, or is it you and me? Does it have to be either/or, or could this parable be both/and? Certainly, to Jesus, you are a treasure worth spending everything he has, to have and to hold what is precious and costly to him. And, to us, Jesus is a treasure worth spending everything we have to have and to hold what is precious and costly to us. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Solomon 6.3). You are worth it. He is worth it.
Jesus’ peace, Nathan