186
Discipleship
Jesus’ demand for holiness reaches even into the closest Mt. 10:37 – 38
Mt. 10:39
family relationships. He says, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” If we want to be disciples of Jesus we must take these words seri ously. Jesus also says, “By gaining his life, a man will lose it, but by losing his life for my sake, he will gain it.” So if we lose ourselves completely for Jesus’ sake, we will gain eternal life. But if we cling to our own ideas and ideals, to our property, family, or children, we will lose everything. From a letter: i think you have tied your grown chil dren too tightly to yourself, which has also brought division between you and your husband. Your daugh ters were not free before God. Parents must give their children freedom already when they are small, but even more so when they have grown up. I do not mean freedom to do evil, but freedom from all emotional ties that bind them in a wrong way to father and mother.
we need to learn the meaning of Jesus’ words, “He Lk. 14:26
1 Jn. 3:15
who does not hate father, mother, wife, and children cannot be my disciple.” Jesus does not mean a feeling of hatred; the New Testament says, “He who hates his brother is a murderer.” Jesus means that we must put