The Cost to be Counted

A couple of posts ago, I expounded on the hard scripture found in Luke 14:25-31. Jesus is talking to his group of followers and telling them this is not going to be an easy road they are following. Not sure if it was a "get tough so you can keep going" or a "it is going to get tough so you might think about leaving" speech. But it gave me a lot to think about.

I have an adult friend, about 20 years my junior, that is what we today would call mentally challenged. He is a savant and has an incredible memory for names and numbers. He has very strong obsessions and Academy Award winning movies are one of his. He constantly seeks to see each and every one, whether they are appropriate for him or not. He easily gets discouraged and depressed and some of these movies do nothing to help. He attended our church for a time and sat with my family every Sunday. His friendship was high maintenance to say the least and when he moved onto another church that had more "fun" things to do, I missed him but was sadly a bit relieved as well.

So I received a phone call from him a few weeks ago, telling me his step dad had died. This was after an extended illness and the loss was very hard on my friend. He lives with his mom and has a part-time job at the local library, shelving books. This weekend, I got another message from him on my answering machine. The lady that more or less was his mentor and supervisor at the library passed away as well. To add to this added grief, my friend had been laid off from his job. I can assume she more or less had something to do with the protection of his position. I could hear the anguish in his voice, as he left the message.

So I am faced with a dilemma. My plate is more than full right now. My daughter and her husband both were laid off within a few weeks of each other and they and their two children have moved into my modest-sized home, for hopefully what will be a short period of time. I am slightly overwhelmed with the change in my way of life and now am faced with the need of this friend. It is not a small plea for help. He is in a terrible position and I feel I must do something to help.

But do I understand the cost. Am I ready to jump back into that relationship and sacrifice what little time I have for myself? Do I have the energy and compassion he needs right now in this time and this place? If monetary resources are needed, can I find something for him and his family amongst the strain on our finances, stretched even further by our recent move-ins?

Is it God calling me to take up my cross and follow Him? Is He telling me the cost will be worth it? Or that the effort in itself will be my reward? Can, when we are in the greatest of needs, be fed and filled only by reaching outside ourselves and giving that which we do not have, but He can supply? I will let you know.