Last updated on October 25, 2024
Today’s reflection is on a complex and challenging passage. Here’s the passage…
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:25-27
It’s easy to dismiss Jesus when we hear a statement like this. But I think it’s worth taking the time to dig a little deeper rather than to simply move past it.
I like what NT Wright says about this passage. First, picture a politician making a statement like this. Is anyone going to vote for him? Probably not. But then think of a leader of a great expedition making this statement. You are setting out on a dangerous journey in which you may not return. So write a letter to your family. And you’re not going to be able to take much on this journey, so you’d be better off leaving anything unnecessary behind. In a scenario like this we can see these words as genuine, and necessary for our survival.
So perhaps this second scenario is closer to Jesus’ mindset in the moment.
Jesus obviously valued love for family. We’ve covered some of that in a previous reflection. But he knew that the call to the kingdom was an urgent one. He was calling people to set things aside in order to truly walk into a new adventure; an adventure that could at times be costly.
You could say that Jesus was simply telling them that they needed to count the cost before entering this adventure of following him. That’s what the next two stories lay out.
You don’t start building without first taking time to get plans and estimate the cost. You’re in trouble if you don’t.
And if you’re a king facing an opposing army, you don’t go to war without first considering if you truly have a shot at winning. You’re sacrificing the lives of your people if you don’t.
You count the cost before taking on something of this magnitude, and Jesus was saying that the same line of thinking should come into play when we consider following him.