On many occasions the disciples, knowing that they were not as mature as they would like, asked “what must I do to grow as a disciple?”

Jesus said to them: “to what did I compare being a disciple?”

“Building a tower and a king about to go to war”, they offered.

“You have answered correctly”, He replied. “And what was the meaning of these parables?”

“From that we understand”, the disciples replied, “we must consider our ability to finish before we choose to start on the path of discipleship. But we, having already considered these things, have chosen to be your disciples. We are concerned that we are not progressing as we ought.”

Jesus answered them thus.