By Jeff Scoggins

“… any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple,” (Luke 14:33).

Obviously in another world a man grinned as he carefully selected two perfect apples from the bin in the produce aisle. Then he selected two perfect plums, then two perfect peaches. He was so meticulous in his selection that the man next to him simply stared until finally he blurted out, “What in the world are you doing?”

The first man blinked and shook his head a little as he came back to earth, but he didn’t stop grinning. “I’m making dinner for my wife,” he beamed.

“Ah!” the other man nodded knowingly. “You’re newly married.” It was a statement of fact, not a question.

“Not really,” the man replied. “We’ve been married for eight years.”

“Ah!” the other man nodded again. “It’s your anniversary and last year you forgot.” Again a statement not a question.

“No,” the first man replied looking a little confused. “I’ve never forgotten our anniversary.”

“Ah!” the other man nodded knowingly. “You are in the doghouse.” Another statement. The other shook his head, no.

The interrogator showed that he was becoming more frustrated than the situation warranted when he demanded, “Then I ask again, what in the world are you doing!”

“I’m making dinner for my wife!” The mere statement caused the man to grin again.

“Yes, but why?” the other man demanded.

“The same reason you do!” the first man shot back gleefully, fully expecting the other to understand.

But obviously he did not understand. “I don’t make dinner for my wife,” he said defensively. “I don’t have to earn her love.”

“What?” said the first man, “You think I’m trying to earn my wife’s love?”

“Why else would you go to such effort? Being married is so much work, don’t you think?”

“I guess I never thought of it,” replied the first man. “I guess it does require a little work, but what is a little work in comparison to a relationship with someone so good to me. Frankly, I wish I could do more.”

The second man’s eyes grew wide and he sputtered. “More? What do you get out of your wife that I don’t get out of mine?”

“What I get isn’t the point at all,” said the first man, suddenly understanding the other man’s problem. “The point is who she is and the fact that she loves me.”

“Getting married causes a man to lose most everything,” said the other man decidedly. “Everyone should count the cost of marriage before making the leap.”

“I did,” replied the first man. “I counted the cost and I quickly realized that I was getting a bargain.”

“…the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it,” (Matthew 13:45-46).