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How Luke 14:33 Can Change Everything
Brian Mashburn
July 8, 2018
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Total Commitment
Someone once said, "There is only one degree of commitment: total." In shockingly similar fashion, Jesus seems to agree when he states that, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:33)
Everything? What does he mean? Well, everything.
It is unsurprising to me how quickly we tilt our heads in confusion when scripture imposes on our lives in ways that we do not like. The idea that scripture is mysterious frustrates us when we are desperate for answers, but it suits us fine when it protects us from its "demands".
This is one of those verses that we feel we need protection from, but track with me here: Most of you would agree with the idea that love is a commitment or it ceases to be love. It goes way beyond feelings.
But would you agree that love for God is a commitment to prioritizing love for God over all other loves, or it is not love for God?
Jesus would. He demands total commitment; a love for him above all other loves. He makes it clear that there is an appropriate order to our loves. For example, the father who loves his job over his kids has disordered love. The wife that loves her parents over her husband does too.
And according to Jesus, if you love anyone or anything, no matter how good and noble, over him... you have a disordered love. Further, you have disqualified yourself from even being considered his follower.
In a Christian culture that dismisses any requirement of commitment to God as a measuring stick of our love for God, this is a game changer. Come out of hiding for a moment, and let's consider that this is a blessing to embrace, not a burden to bear.