August 24, 2023

Luke 14: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.” (NIV)

What seems right and reasonable to human beings is often totally out of harmony with God’s ways.*

I have always been a little uncomfortable with this statement by Jesus. We’re not supposed to hate anyone and yet here he tells us to hate the very ones we should love the most. I recently heard it suggested that perhaps Jesus meant we should prefer him over others rather than hate them. Well, that made me feel a bit better – until the Holy Spirit gave me a nudge. “Don’t buy it,” he said. “Jesus says what he means.”

To say that Jesus meant for us to love others less than we love him is to dilute his true meaning. We think of hate in terms of wishing for – even causing – bad things to happen to the person we hate. That’s certainly not a Christlike attitude. But this is still more than a matter of loving Jesus so much that what we feel for others looks like hate in comparison. What Jesus wants from his followers is complete loyalty – to the point of turning our backs on everyone else.

I read a story that illustrates the point. I don't remember the details but it was a melodramatic tale of a young woman who refused to testify to a lie – not even for the sake of her sister’s life. Wouldn't most of us, if placed in that position, reason that the sister’s well-being was more important than the truth? 

You see, the biggest obstacles to loving Jesus completely are not bad things but good ones. Family, friends, world peace – we must hate these things if they come between us and Jesus.  In the words of another: “The greatest threat to the best often comes from second best.”*

The more precious to me something is, the more I should commit it to God rather than clinging to it myself.*