Read 1 Corinthians 6:20

Committed individuals live with shallow tent pegs. 

They may own things, but nothing owns them. They have come to terms with merchandise that has a price tag and opted for commitment to values that are priceless.

Denying oneself is not to be equated with losing one's uniqueness or becoming of no value. 

There have been great people in each generation who modelled self-denial as they made significant contributions to humankind.

For years I taught that we are to "count the cost." It seemed so plausible. But suddenly one day, it dawned on me that Jesus never once told His followers to count the cost. 

No—He's the One who has already done that. He is the King who has already determined what it will take to encounter and triumph over life's enemies. 

And what will it take? A few strong, quality-minded champions whose commitment is solid as stone.

Excerpted from Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom for the Way (Nashville: J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2001). Copyright © 2001 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.