Jesus said, “Suppose a man wanted to start his own Tobacco farm. First he would have to sit down and calculate the cost, whether he has enough land, seeds, fertilizer, and equipment to get started. If he can’t afford it, he might as well forget about starting the farm.”
“Or suppose a man is already running a successful Tobacco farm, but then he hears about a new type of Tobacco that is more popular, and he wants to switch to this new plant. He needs to carefully consider the cost of uprooting his old plants, buying new seeds, investing in new equipment, and retraining his workers. If he doesn’t think it’s worth it, he should stick with what he knows.”
“In the same way, anyone who wants to follow me must calculate the cost. Following me might mean giving up old habits, or even leaving behind family members or friends who don’t agree with your new path. It might mean facing ridicule or persecution for standing up for what you believe in. And if you can’t handle that cost, you might as well not even start down this path.”
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness it is useless. Smoking cigarettes might seem like it gives pleasure, but it can harm your health which, in the end, isn’t worth it. Tobacco will always have a ‘cost’, and this is what I want you to really consider before making choices that you’ll regret.”
