The gospel reading in this week’s lectionary (Luke 14:25-33) is entitled “The Cost of Discipleship” in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. This prompted me to view the passage in the context of the cost of sobriety and, through that lens, all that from which we are to abstain. One thing I try to do with my clients experiencing addiction, is ask them to reframe their view of sobriety as what they receive as a result of their sobriety and not what they lose. If that’s the case, is it a cost or a reward we are talking about? Because how did chasing the dragon work out for you? Was there a reward or jail, institution or death? We are told in the rooms we can’t give away what we don’t have. And our faith tells us there is strength in weakness, the last becomes first, the meek inherit the earth--all the upside down stuff that makes sobriety and discipleship so appealing in the end.  

Indulge me as I look at the passage from the gospel of Luke. If we can’t despise our binging which we think we love (mother, wife, children), we can’t remain sober (a disciple). And if we can’t make our recovery a priority (bear our own cross), we can’t remain sober. And if we can’t make a plan (sit down and count the cost of the tower we are building), we plan to fail and we can’t remain sober. Because we have all learned a failure to plan is a plan to fail.

But if we sit down like a king in a meeting and take counsel from our sponsor or therapist, we can find peace. When we renounce our use, we remain sober. Which reminds me of our baptismal covenant: Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God? And we answer, I renounce them. If only it was that simple, right?

Then there’s this week’s psalm and the promise of being grounded and delighted. Indulge me again. In the words of Psalm 1, I couldn’t help but see a healthy meeting or support group seated in folding chairs by a stream of water. A light breeze is blowing and there are fertile fruit trees all around. When we change our people, places, things (counsel of the wicked), we can delight in the law of the Lord and we take life on life’s terms. Our baptismal covenant also asks us, Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers? And we say, We will, with God’s help. Because we also made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. As a result we can enjoy bad coffee in a church basement on a Tuesday night and feel better and freer than we ever have. 

So are we talking about the cost of discipleship or the cost of addiction or the cost of sobriety? Are we giving something up or getting something in return? No matter how we frame or reframe it, we can be sober disciples who are drawn toward the love of God. We flourish and prosper. We don’t wither and we don’t perish. And that all seems to be worth the cost.

Deborah M., MA, LPC

Lancaster, PA