Love More

VERSE PASSAGE: Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” – NIV

When it comes to the sayings of Jesus, this one is a tough one to hear and apply. Some wish this passage wasn’t in the Bible. Some might wonder how someone could ever love Jesus more than their own child or how someone could love Jesus more than their dad or mom. Furthermore, how could God actually expect them to? Yet Jesus wasn’t suggesting that we be negligent in our concern for others. Nor was He suggesting that we like Him a lot. He was commanding total allegiance. The Son of God who became our Savior demands and deserves to be first place in our hearts. 

We chose to invite Jesus into our heart. We chose to have Him be the Lord of our life. We chose to follow and worship Him. As such He has called us to love Him more than anyone else in our life. We must do so. There is no middle ground. Jesus states if we do not then we are not worthy of Him. 

Jesus was stating the most powerful and greatest commandment when He said this. Then He went further and showed us what it looks like in our lives to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” as in Mark 12:30. If we really believed Jesus when He said we must love Him more than our own parents and children, more than anything or anyone that is closest and dearest to our hearts, then I believe that our lives would look radically different in how we honor Him, sacrifice for Him, and show a daily love and devotion toward Him.

You cannot truly be in Him and of Him if you do not totally love Him. That total love is loving Him more than anyone else. If we proclaim that we would take a bullet for our children or parents than how much more should we proclaim our love for Christ? 

How can we truly show that we are one with Him in all things if we do not love Him more than anyone else?

VERSE PASSAGE: Luke 14:26 “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.” – NIV 

Now the Word “hate” in this passage does not actually mean the literal word hate. However it actually means “love less”. 

This passage is the direct connection to Matthew 10:37. And in this sense adds a powerful message. 

If we have a relationship with our children or parents in a way that are obstacles that prevent us from coming to Christ and serving Him totally and loving Him with everything in us. Then all natural affections must be flung aside. We must as believers and followers be ready to part with our dearest relations and friends if they hinder us from serving God. God will not have half your heart. He seeks your whole heart. He seeks you to love and serve Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Our first and most important relationship is Jesus and we need to be prepared to put aside anything or anyone that is a hindrance to that.  

Be blessed my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. 

Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger