Matthew 10:31
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
The value that Christ should be to you should not be difficult when you realize that He placed you above all to pay your debt of sin. Jesus reminds us that we are of more value than the sparrow He feeds every day. Jesus reminded us that we are of such great value to Him that He has numbered the hairs of our head.
Jesus then transitions in this dialogue to say in verse 37, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Jesus was not saying that we ought to hate our family, but He was saying you have a choice you must make between family and Christ. Every parent has to choose whether they will follow Christ or their children. Every child must choose whether they will follow their parent’s whims and dreams before they follow what Christ wants them to do. When you consider that Christ values you more than His own life, you will realize the choice to love Christ more than anything or anyone else is not a difficult choice.
My parents raised me to put God first before them or anyone else. When I was faced with following Christ’s calling on my life or to follow my dream of flying airplanes, though I struggled for a few days with this decision, the choice to follow Christ was not a difficult choice because His way is perfect, and the choice to be closer to Christ was easy to make. When I made the choice to make Christ of more importance than my family, though I love my family, loving Christ more than my family is not a difficult choice.
One of the common counseling sessions I have with church members is how to deal with family when their family doesn't understand their choice to serve God. These who come to my office love their families dearly and want their families to understand that, but they have chosen to put Christ before all. Let me share a couple thoughts with you about this important decision to put Christ first in your life.
First, it is a faith choice to put Christ before family. We can see family, but we only see Christ by faith. It is often easier to make a decision by sight, but when it comes to serving Christ, we must make a decision by faith. You cannot please God unless you put Christ first by faith.
Second, family and friends will never understand your faith decision to place Christ before them. Nobody will ever understand your faith decision because a faith decision is between you and God. The only way they will understand this decision is if they have made the same decision.
Third, not making the faith decision to place Christ before family and friends is a sin. Romans 14:23 reminds us, …for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. To choose family and friends before Christ is to take Christ off the throne of your life. To choose family and friends before Christ is to make a decision by sight. You will never please Christ if you cannot choose Him by faith.
My friend, the Christian life is a faith life, and every decision we make must be a faith decision. The choice is not real difficult to choose Christ before all because He promises we cannot give more to Him than what He will reward back to us. You ought to love your family and friends, but when you must choose which will be first in your life, always put Christ before all.
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