The True Cost of Gain

Reading: Mark 8:36-37; Luke 12:16-21

Devotional: Jesus speaks the language of business in Mark 8, but the ledger He describes is unlike any spreadsheet the world produces. He asks us to consider profit and loss in eternal terms. The rich man in Luke 12 had full barns and an empty soul. His harvest was impressive, but his accounting was catastrophic. He measured security by what he had stored and forgot entirely what he owed. Every gain we pursue carries a price tag on the back. Wisdom does not only read the front. Before you call something a profit, turn it over and read what it costs.

Personal Reflection: What are you currently calling a gain that may be costing more than you realize? Write down one thing you are pursuing and honestly examine both what it gives you and what it requires of you.

Practical Application: This week, before making one significant decision, pause and ask two questions: What will I gain? What will this cost me spiritually? Practice evaluating from both sides of the transaction.