Following Christ comes at a cost—the cost of losing your old life, a life lived for personal glory and indulgence. This decision also has relational consequences. I remember when I began to follow Christ and realized that my friendships were primarily centered around partying. Once my desire for that lifestyle faded, those friends seemed to disappear. One situation that stands out is when I used to attend concerts regularly with my friends. I heard about a Christian concert being held at Busch Gardens and called several friends to see if they wanted to go. The response was usually the same: “No, I’ll pass.”
This can be seen as a relatively mild situation, but for many who come to faith in Christ, the changes in their relationships can be even more dramatic. There are countless stories of individuals from Muslim backgrounds who convert to Christianity, facing life-and-death consequences from their own families.
Listen to what Jesus says in full context of a familiar verse:
Matthew 10:34-39:
34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Our devotion to Christ should take precedence over all else. It may sound harsh, but if we truly love those around us, we should give them Jesus instead of our own flawed love, which is tainted by sin. Only Christ offers untainted, pure, and true love. To give them Jesus is to give them true love.
Jesus emphasizes this concept further in Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
Is Christ above family? Who truly has your family’s best interests at heart? Should we obey the leading of our families or follow Christ alone?
Yes, at times, our families can become idols.
The word Love is overused in America. We love our family and our friends, but we also love pizza, our car and our pets too. So, should we love Jesus like we love pizza?! My guess is No. We must love Him above everything else. Agape love! If we truly remember the sacrifice that Christ made, we should have no problem loving Him more than anything else.
The Bible emphasizes that God should be our highest priority but it also highlights the importance of family relationships. God’s word calls for loving our spouses and children and providing for their needs. As followers of Jesus we are on Satan’s radar. I believe he is always plotting against us and looking for an opportunity to attack. He has a way of twisting our priorities In a way that distorts our relationship with Christ. What we need to realize is that through faith in Jesus Christ we have authority and power to fight back and win. Spiritual warfare is very real and is not something to be ignored. As followers we are a direct threat to the devil and he has plans to utterly destroy us. That is why we must keep our priority straight. God first family second then church. A healthy Christian life involves prioritizing God first, but also loving and caring for family members. Even if we don’t agree with them at times. This means finding time for family communicating openly and demonstrating love and support all while maintaining a strong faith.
Family life shouldn’t come at the expense of spiritual growth also are focus on faith should not lead to neglect are family responsibilities.
I also have lost a lot of friends due to my devotion to Christ. But I have gained so much more. And the friends that I have gained during my walk with Christ or of a much higher character. I am grateful even for the lost relationships. I know that The losses are necessary in order for me to continue to grow. Thank you Lord.