Listen

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus. Turning to them, he said, “Whoever comes to me and doesn’t hate father and mother, spouse and children, and brothers and sisters—yes, even one’s own life—cannot be my disciple. Whoever doesn’t carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:25-27

Think

It shocks me that Jesus said we need to hate our families in order to follow him. Not only that, we need to carry a cross – the means of capital punishment in Jesus’s time – as we follow him.

What was going on that caused Jesus to say this?

At this point in Luke’s narrative, Jesus had been sharing the good news with people of all kinds: religious leaders, sick people, milling crowds. But the religious leaders sneered when Jesus healed others, rich people jostled for position at feasts, someone in the crowd wanted Jesus to handle an inheritance dispute.

It’s no wonder Jesus sounds stern here. Everyone he was talking to was distracted: by religious rules, status, family quarrels. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve God’s love: the invitation of God’s grace goes out to everyone.

But Jesus reminds us that his invitation requires our full attention! Rather than looking for ways to show off our religious knowledge or to gain power or riches, we need to focus on following Jesus where he leads.

Jane Claspy Nesmith

Pray

Merciful God:

Gently direct my attention to you and to your path of discipleship.

Give me strength to keep my focus on you despite the clamor of the world.

Amen.

Go

Refreshed by God’s loving messages for you,

Prepare yourself for your journey.

Step out once more,

Ready to follow the path God has shown you.