Unfinished Love

A plan to connect Ohio to Charleston, a study in the strength of granite, and a reminder to count the cost.

This year, we are learning to love better by exploring the greatest commandment – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  We’ve searched our hearts and plumbed the depths of our soul for how to love the Lord better, and halfway through the year it is time to investigate our minds.  How do we love God with all our mind?  What does that even mean?  This week is the second in a ten-part series on learning to love better with our minds… and here is where the hard conversations happen – our mind is often the place where good plans go to die.

"Remember, you are loved, so go, love better!"

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Transcript

            When is a tunnel not a tunnel?  In the mid 1800’s, railroads were privately owned, and their plans were ambitious.  Arguably the most successful private entrepreneurial endeavor in American history is the Pacific Railroad, the first transcontinental railroad – stretching over 1900 miles from Omaha, Nebraska to San Francisco Bay.  They built it from both ends and met in the middle.  On May 10, 1869, on Promontory Summit, Utah, Leland Stanford (the guy Stanford University is named after) drove a golden spike into the line, connecting the two ends.  It was a success of national significance, and to this day stands as an example of what hard work, dedication, planning, and good old-fashioned stick-to-it-tiveness can achieve.

            But we aren’t interested in success today – today, we want to talk about failure.  So, when is a tunnel, not a tunnel?  The answer – when you don’t finish it.

I’m Scott Beyer and this is the Love Better podcast where we explore the truths and lies about love and more importantly how to turn love into a skill – something we can get better at and hone along the way.

            This year, we are learning to love better by exploring the greatest commandment – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.  We’ve searched our hearts and plumbed the depths of our soul for how to love the Lord better, and halfway through the year it is time to investigate our minds.  How do we love God with all our mind?  What does that even mean?  This week is the second in a ten-part series on learning to love better with our minds… and here is where the hard conversations happen – our mind is often the place where good plans go to die.

            The Blue Ridge Railroad was the brainchild of John C. Calhoun, a prominent South Carolina statesman. Calhoun was a strong proponent of infrastructure improvements to promote economic development in the South. He believed that the Blue Ridge Railroad would significantly enhance trade and transportation by providing a direct route from the interior of the South to the Ohio Valley, thus connecting Charleston, South Carolina, to Cincinnati, Ohio.

            467 miles – that’s how far the route was from Charleston to Cincinnati.  Not quite as ambitious a distance as the transcontinental railroad, but distance wasn’t the only factor – the line would need to traverse the Appalachian Mountains.  The Blue Ridge Railway would require four tunnels – the Big John Tunnel, the Saddle Tunnel, the Middle Tunnel, and the most formidable of all – the Stumphouse Tunnel.  All in all, almost two miles of tunnel needed to be bored… and it was at Stumphouse mountain that the project was stumped.

            Stumphouse Tunnel was the westernmost tunnel of the project and needed to be bored one mile through Stumphouse Mountain – a mountain made of pure granite.  About 1,500 Irish miners, who lived in the village of their own making, aptly named the village of ‘Tunnel Hill’ cut through blue granite with hand drills, hammers, chisels, and kegs of black powder.  Four shafts dug from the top of the mountain allowed the miners to descend and cut through ten rock faces at one time.  Their progress?  In a good month, they could bore 200 feet – in a bad month, only a few dozen feet.  At its deepest level the tunnel was 236 feet below the mountaintop and the granite was relentless.  Eventually, the workers were able to cut about 1,600 feet through the mountain, and then in 1859 funds ran out, followed by a little event called the American Civil War which had a way of derailing things everywhere.  In the end, Stumphouse Tunnel never became a tunnel – it ended up a very impressive cave and an ever-present reminder that not all plans come to fruition.  John Calhoun’s brainchild died in those mountains.

            In Luke’s account of Jesus’ life, there is a scene that Stumphouse Tunnel reminds me of.  It’s a longer reading, but worth the time to consider:

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luk 14:25-33)

Do you see the similarities?  Jesus knew that following Him would be a lot harder than most people believed it to be, so at a time when great crowds were following Him, He warned them that wanting to do something and completing it aren’t the same thing.  Every good builder needs to count the cost of the project ahead of time.  Stumphouse Tunnel was never completed because they ran out of money. Somebody didn’t factor in how hard the granite would be and how long it would take to dig through it.  Somebody didn’t count the cost.

Everyone has plans, but for most people their plans are really just wishes.  New Year’s resolutions that aren’t really resolutions, they are whimsical fancies.  We say, “I plan to exercise and eat better”, but what we really mean is “I would love it if my diet and exercise magically changed.”  We say, “I plan to read my Bible and pray more”, but what we mean is, “I wish I would read my Bible and pray more”.  This is true with all sorts of things we desire to do from spending time with our children to learning the guitar – the want is real, but the plans are never made.

Good intentions aren’t enough – we’ve got to count the cost, or we will find ourselves failing for lack of planning.  We don’t fall into spiritual success – we set our minds and make our plans.  Consider several things Jesus said to those crowds to help them count the cost of discipleship.

1.      He wanted them to understand that discipleship would come in conflict with their relationships with friends and family.  Are you ready to prioritize Jesus above your kids? Your parents? Your spouse?  Most people don’t like disappointing or upsetting their loved ones, but following Jesus may do both of those things.  Are you ready to upset the family apple cart or change the family tree?  Counting the cost gets real when it impacts Thanksgiving.

2.      He told them it required hating even their own life. Hate is a strong word and it carries with it the idea of detesting something.  I don’t detest my life – I’m fond of it… but there are things that I would detest my life for.  There is a recent story in the news of a man that shielded his family from a shooter’s bullets.  I don’t think the man wanted to die, but I think the thought of him living and his wife and children dying instead – he hated that idea.  To be a disciple of Jesus means that I would rather die or suffer or be separated from life’s comforts than live in an eternity without Jesus.  Do I hate the idea of living without Jesus enough to sacrifice my life goals to follow Him?

3.      He also talks about renouncing our possessions as part of discipleship.  On paper, it is easy for me to say I love Jesus more than all my stuff… but I’m an American.  I have a lot of stuff, and I keep buying more of it, too.  From comfortable shoes to warm pullovers to the latest gadget.  We acquire golf clubs and bracelets and the newest furniture.  From home goods to subscription services – we have lots of material possessions, and Amazon has a way of continuing to deliver them to our porches.  To be a disciple of Jesus is going to cost us some of that stuff.  We may have to give it away, spend the money on others, or reprioritize its usage.  Nothing says “count the cost” more than literally counting the costs.

We count the cost because we don’t want to end up like the Stumphouse Tunnel – a tunnel that isn’t a tunnel is bad, but a Christian that isn’t a Christian is so much worse.

So, in the spirit of counting the cost – let’s get practical.  How can you make sure you are counting the cost of discipleship?

#1 Don’t underestimate what following Jesus will require.  The Stumphouse tunnel failed in part because the initial estimates were all based upon the best-case scenarios – a perfect workforce, no setbacks that would adjust the timeline, it assumed the ideal and then when it was less than that, the project began a death spiral.  Oftentimes we as Christians do the same thing – we assume the best-case scenario of a life of faith.  Don’t do that.  Instead plan for rainy days.  Expect your faith to be tested along the way.  If you expect to struggle with strained relationships, personal sacrifices, and a less materialistic lifestyle, you won’t be surprised when difficulties arise.  This was Paul’s approach to strengthening the souls of the early disciples.  In Acts 14:22 he told the Christians in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to continue in the faith because “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

In this approach, the apostle Peter agreed with the apostle Paul.  He encouraged Christians the same way – in 1 Peter 4 he says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”

Paul and Peter lost friends, faced problems and threats outside the church and even within it at times, and ultimately lost their lives for Jesus – their advice?  Don’t underestimate the cost of following Jesus, it will be high, but it will also be worth it.

#2 Discipleship is harder when you aren’t focused.  Remember those miners and the village of Tunnel Hill.  Turns out Tunnel Hill had more saloons than churches in it.  I’m no mining expert, but I am pretty sure blasting equipment and drunkenness aren’t a great combination.  Many of the workers were a motley crew, and an unruly workforce with low morals led to poor productivity.

The same is true for you.  Repeatedly, the Bible emphasizes that being half a disciple of Jesus cannot be done at all.  Jesus says, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

He says it again to His church in Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

James warns against being “double-minded” and Paul warns Timothy about how sins are a trap, they are the “snares of the devil”.  When we get ensnared, we can’t effectively pursue our goals.  Perfection isn’t expected, but if you think you can live a double life and still be a disciple – think again.

And lastly, #3 Good planning assumes wear and tear.  In a surprise oversight of the Stumphouse tunnel debacle, nobody considered that the equipment used would wear out and need to be replaced, and that includes the workers themselves.  The granite rock caused rapid wear on the drill bits, necessitating frequent replacements. This not only increased costs but also slowed down progress as new bits had to be brought in and old ones replaced regularly.  The heavy use of drilling machinery under harsh conditions led to frequent mechanical failures and breakdowns. Repairing these machines was time-consuming and required specialized skills and parts. On top of that, long hours eventually burnt out the workforce, too.  They needed more rest and recuperation because of the grueling labor.  The cumulative effect of these factors led to failure.  Frequent equipment breakdowns, the need for constant maintenance, and a lack of attention to morale of the workers all contributed to the projects eventual doom.

Soul work is hard work.  It will takes it toll on you.  There is a reason that the Bible tells us that “iron sharpens iron” – you will need to surround yourself with others that can help strengthen you when you are worn down by life.  Following Jesus is done as part of the church, not without it.  Sure people are messy and hard and complicated, but the only thing worse than that is having no people in your life at all.  The book of Hebrews tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” and the book of Ephesians reminds us that we are all strengthened and held together by what every joint equips the body with.

The maxim is true - If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.  Christianity is too hard to do by yourself.  You need a team, and you need to remember to ask for help.  Low morale and dull equipment is a recipe for disaster.

These three things are all ways that help us better count the cost of discipleship.  Don’t underestimate the sacrifice – expect setbacks, stay focused – avoid a double-life, and maintain your equipment – iron sharpens iron.

As Jesus hung upon the cross, His final three words were, “It is finished.”  In the greatest example of a life well lived, Jesus finished what He started and loved His own right up to the end.

Life is worth finishing well.  Learn to love better – plan, prepare, and finish strong.

As always, thank you for listening and hopefully we've done something to help make your life a little bit better.  If you have a chance to rate, review or share the podcast it would be a blessing.  By sharing with others or leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify, you help us reach more people.

And if you are ever in the Louisville, KY area, I’d like to invite you to worship with us at the Eastland congregation next Sunday.  If you want more information about Eastland, visit us at eastlandchristians.org.  Or if you are looking for more tools to enrich your Bible study, visit my personal Bible site, Biblegrad.com, where you can sign up for daily Bible devotionals called Biblebites and receive them in your email each morning, take online Bible classes, or find videos that will help you study through the Bible throughout the year.

And until next time, “Remember, you are loved, so go… love better.”