Hate Your Family????
November 9, 2013//
Topics to Dig Into
Luke
14:26 (NLT)
14:26 (NLT)
If 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.
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.
This makes no sense. Hate
our families? Jesus tells us to love our
neighbors and especially our enemies.
Why should we hate our families? It’s
completely backwards.
our families? Jesus tells us to love our
neighbors and especially our enemies.
Why should we hate our families? It’s
completely backwards.
Notice the words ‘in comparison’. When we nurture our relationship with God
above all else, He gives us a greater capacity to love others. We actually love better because He gives us
deeper compassion, greater patience and more joy.
above all else, He gives us a greater capacity to love others. We actually love better because He gives us
deeper compassion, greater patience and more joy.
In our fast paced lives, time spent quietly praying or reading
God’s Word feels unproductive. Nurturing
a relationship with God doesn’t seem as immediate or important as taking care
of our families. The irony is that when
we put God first and love Him more than anything else, He multiplies our time
and energy. Somehow, He works in and
through us so we’re more effective than we could be on our own. He fills us with the Holy Spirit.
God’s Word feels unproductive. Nurturing
a relationship with God doesn’t seem as immediate or important as taking care
of our families. The irony is that when
we put God first and love Him more than anything else, He multiplies our time
and energy. Somehow, He works in and
through us so we’re more effective than we could be on our own. He fills us with the Holy Spirit.
God wants the best for each of us. While His ways don’t always make sense, they
lead to fullness of life.
lead to fullness of life.
Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
