When I was young I used to play with my friends a game called follow the leader ,it was a innocent children's game, but let me say this very lovingly, that following Jesus is not a game.Jesus did not promise wealth ,health ,and prosperity.. In Luke 14 v 26 ff our Saviour said something very startling.,'' 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''. These words would bring you to a full stop, Jesus said I am to hate my loved ones ,good grief, I won't do that.Does not the word of God say that love is one of one of the greatest things we can do .We are called to love God and to love others, we are even told to love our enemies Matthew 5 v 44, so why are we being told to hate are nearest and dearest?. Many things that Jesus teaches taught are not not to be taken literally,for example, the bread and wine which we have at communion is not the literal body and blood of Christ, they are but symbols.So when Jesus spoke of hating,it was never meant to be taken literally,as one writer puts it ,'Eastern language is always as vivid as the human mind can make it. When Jesus tells us to hate our nearest and dearest,he does not mean literally'He means that we should love Him more that anyone and anything else.Our love for Jesus must take first place in our lives,as Jesus said to Peter,''Do you love Me more than these?, well ,do we?.
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