Luke 14:26
SàIf you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise you cannot be my disciple.
HàAt this point in Luke it is one intense teaching after another. There was just a story of how if those that are supposed to get it don’t then just invite others and leave the one’s that didn’t get it out in the cold. And here Jesus says that we cannot be His disciple unless we hate all other people in comparison. Hate, that’s pretty strong language; can Jesus use that kind of language? How can Jesus not only support but command His followers to hate the people they love the most? The key word is “comparison.” Perhaps Jesus is pointing us to a deeper truth that will give birth to deeper relationships with those we love the most.
AàJesus must come first! Period, end of story, no other option. If my relationship with Jesus doesn’t come first then everything else is pointless. Jesus comes before Amanda; Jesus comes before Jordan, Cami, and Lexi. Jesus comes before my mom and dad. Jesus comes before you. And most importantly, Jesus comes before Chad. Here’s the issue. If Jesus doesn’t come first then I will not be able to love Amanda, Jordan, Cami, Lexi, mom, dad, you, and myself the way God desires me to love those in my life. If Jesus doesn’t come first then I end up loving myself before anyone else and at their expense. If Jesus does come first though, it is out of that relationship that I am empowered to love Amanda, Jordan, Cami, Lexi, mom, dad, you, enemies, myself, etc the way God intended me to love them because out of my relationship with Jesus I am empowered to put others before myself and to love others the way that Jesus loved me and in doing this I become a disciple.
PàJesus, thank you for calling me to something more then what I could ever be on my own. Thank you for teaching me that my relationship with you is the foundation from which all other relationships flow in my life. Protect me from the temptation to put others or myself in front of you. Help me to remember that I cannot be your disciple unless you come first in my life and give me the assurance that all other relationships in my life actually improve when you come first. Amen.
EàPutting Jesus first gives life to all other relationships in my life.
chadpullins@connect2crossroads.com
