Luke 14:26 “’If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.’”
SAY WHAT?
At first glance you may think Jesus is contradicting Himself. His message was one of love. Didn’t He say to love your enemies? So, why would He say that we must hate our families? Well, you have to look at that word “hate” a little closer.
This word does mean to detest or hate, but it is a comparative word, which means compared to your love for Him, your love for your family will seem like hate. Got it? He is NOT saying we should hate our families. He would never want that. He died for all men, women, boys and girls. He wants us to bring them along as we follow Him.
TEACHING MOMENT
Now I am sure that sometime in the past or sometime soon one of your cute, little, precious angels will say to their sibling or to you, “I hate you.” They get mad sometimes, don’t they? These words may slip right out of their mouths. What a perfect verse to use to correct them. You could say, “Funny, you say that. Did you know Jesus said we should hate our father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters?” They will probably say, “What? No way!” Then you can teach them about love.
It just never ceases to amaze me how the Bible has an answer to every child raising situation. People say we aren’t given a manual when we have a child. Wrong! We have the best “how to” manual ever written. We just have to use it. But in order to use it, we have to first live it. There’s the rub!
Are you willing to love Jesus so much that in comparison your love for your own child seems like hate? Too many parents put their children before their spouse and the Lord. Their whole world revolves around little Gertrude. Stop it!
A Moment In Time 