Choose to Follow Jesus………………

“Jesus answered him,
What do the Scriptures say?  How do you interpret them?

The man answered,
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

You are right, Jesus replied;
do this and you will live.”   Luke 10:26-28 GNT

Many Christians have lost a biblical perspective on the relationship between following Jesus and fulfilling family obligations.

We have come to the place where we have absolutely unrealistic and distorted expectations of marriage and the family, expectations that the Bible does not teach or support.

Do you know what Paul said marriage would give you?  He said it would bring you difficulty (1 Cor. 7).  We expect it to give us happiness, pleasure, and meaning.  We love our family but if our hopes are wrapped up in them, we are in trouble.  We are in trouble because no family can every provide that which we can only find in Jesus.

We can love our family more than God, and this is nothing less than idolatry.

What are some of the things that happen when our Christian environment places the family in such an elevated position that it takes priority over following and serving our Lord?  First, it makes life without a family seem meaningless and insignificant.

Have you noticed that some people who are widowed, or who have been deprived of children believe that life has lost its meaning?  It may be because too much was invested in family and they are excluded because they are not married or have no children or they are alone.  Emphasis is always put on families and everyone else is over looked because the Church is interested in “families” only.  They fail to reach out or include singles, widows, or single-again.  

This can be corrected as we rearrange our priorities in accordance with Christ’s teaching.  Have you seen someone whose marriage was terminated by divorce or death?  Their whole life has been turned upside-down.  But through their suffering they may find out that life can go on without one’s mate, especially as they reach out to Jesus.

 Have you seen people struggle with a so-called mid-life crisis?  It may be because in mid-life they have discovered that the children, in whom they invested their life, are not bringing the fulfillment and meaning they expected.  Dismay and depression are often the result of having placed too much importance on the family, thus expecting too much from it.

The Bible teaches us that the essence of life is not to be found apart from a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.  I can delight in my relationship with God through Jesus Christ, without ever being married, and without ever having a family. It is possible that God may enable you to better serve Him through marriage and a family than by serving Him alone. 

But the ultimate issue is that we choose to follow Him.

“……….Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.”

I have decided to follow Jesus…. Public Domain