When I was in Indonesia, one of the difficult questions that the missionaries had to answer was when a muslim becomes a Christian, does he have to let his family know. Because that will essentially cut him off from his family. It might even mean death. It will certainly mean being disowned and being cut off from all family functions. Some missionaries would suggest to these new Christians to keep their new found faith a secret while participating in all the Islam rituals…

But that would go agains what Jesus said. He said, “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.” Luke 14:26

Jesus told this to the people who were steep in Judaism and would likely face disowning by the family if they became followers of Christ. And this in a culture where family was everything!

Jesus was unabashedly stating that He had to be the priority of our lives.

What would He say to us who are middle-class Americans?

– Are you using Me to get prosperity and success? (Against prosperity gospel)

– Are your family traditions more important than Me? (Against right-wing conservatives)

– Do your children think I or education is more important? (Against the asian “education is god” mentality)

Jesus is more important than money, family, and education. If He is not, then He is not our Lord. We are not saved!

In this season of remembrance, let us remember Jesus and put Him at the throne of our lives.

PH