Value Added

In economics, the phrase "value added," is not just about the up side of a proposition - it is the value remaining after calculating the downside. Specifically, it is the sum of the unit profit, the unit depreciation cost, and the unit labor cost is the unit value added.

Yesterday I listened to a Dave Ramsey caller talk about the nearly half a million dollar student debt for a degree that promised a good but not great income. This individual wanted to know how much if a house to buy considering the starting income promised. Dave said to forget about buying a house or a nice car or making any unnecessary purchases until the debt was cleared up or the debt would follow them their entire adult life.

The problem the individual had was built on considering the sum of the promised income without considering the dollar cost of the education and the interest cost of the loan. What resulted was this individual becoming a highly educated but deeply indebted professional who would need to live like a poor college student for several years to dig out of it or face a life of making a good salary but a mediocre net income.

Some start but never finish a college degree program because they did not accurately factor in the time, effort and expense involved in acquiring that sheepskin. Many go on a diet but fail to achieve e the results or to maintain the results because it never occurred to them that the desired results required a lifetime of eating like a rabbit or drinking their nutrients. The actual cost of a lean body was more than what they had bargained for.

Exercise programs, self-improvement programs, foreign language programs, programs of all stripes promising fabulous results with minimum efforts and low dollar costs turning out to be difficult, time exhausting and expensive. Many have fine print lime a diet supplement adding at the end of an add, "Best results come with proper diet and exercise."  Trouble is most don't read the fine print or look closely at the cost verses reward ratio.

People often approach faith and religion in the same way, thinking that the new life in Christ is simply a matter of accepting some new ideas and perhaps showing up at the church building now and again.  Faith and religion is considered an add a n to their real life to be worked in when convenient.

But Jesus warns this is not so, that true discipleship warrants thoughtful consideration before taking it up:  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish'" (Lk 14:28-30).

The true cost is a total life transformation and surrender to the Lord. The Christian Faith is not an add on, it is an adding up of everything you have, offering it to Jesus - your very life is demanded: "...whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" (Lk 14:27).

When one does count the cost verses the reward of this new life, the value added is immeasurably greater than the sum of the costs, but their is real and sustained cost to following the path of Jesus. He invites us to accept those costs and follow him but not without acknowledging them first. To follow Him is to stop charting your own course, it is to repent (change your mind and actions) a follow a new course. Consider the cost and the value added. Then come me to Jesus. Jus' Invitin'.