Now large crowds were traveling with (Jesus), and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” ~ Luke 14:25-33
More tough words from Jesus. Talk of hating family members...and...
Life itself?
What makes this so hard to hear for many of us might be the fact that life itself is a gift from God. Does God really want us to hate it?
Hate in this context comes from a expression of Jesus' time meaning to "detach oneself from."
So, don't be attached too closely to your family or your life as you know it.
Because Jesus isn't against loving life.
Jesus wants to offer us abundant life: life in God's kingdom. Life that is rich and full, not because of our attachment to possessions or even family.
But because of our attachment to God
God is out to make a new family - one in which ties that bind aren't through bloodlines or "stuff." But through love and deep, meaningful connection.
So God's law is still a law of life.
And a law of love.
Holy One, help me to detach from all the people and things that keep me from loving you fully. Amen
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