“When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Matthew 10:19-20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.10.19-20.NLT
The 10th chapter of Matthew recounts the specific message, authority, and instructions the 12 disciples will need as they travel throughout Israel sharing the coming of the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.
Reflection
Part 5 focuses on Jesus calling his disciples then, as with us today, to a depth of love and commitment requiring intentional decision making on our part.
- A deeper love and commitment are required of you: “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”
Matthew 10:37-39 NLT.
This has challenged many people. We give high value to loving and taking care of our families. We prioritize self-care in many ways. Both are discussed in Scripture as being important, so what is Jesus getting at?
There is a deeper love, and commitment Jesus is calling us to. In most cases, it is not “an either/or.” It is more of a layering.
- The love and commitments at the foundation of our lives are to be prioritized with Christ. More than anything else, this is what shapes and orders our life. As we grow into this, there is a beauty that you come to understand and appreciate.
- Carrying our own cross stands for our God-given responsibility with the sacrifice and message of Christ. If will involve sacrifice along the way, requiring tough decisions to be made that do effect family and the way we focus on ourselves.
- The love of family is a layer that exists on the foundational layers described above. We do love and care for our families. We do provide for them. We do it in the context of being submitted and obedient to the love and will of Christ.
- The saving of one’s own life is an effort of self-preservation that won’t work. When we do this, we are saying “I will reject Christ’s love to save myself.” This is like having operable cancer, deciding to operate on it yourself, and denying the care and expertise available to you to save your life. It doesn’t work. You end up losing your own life.
Encouragement
Pay special attention to a few more words of Jesus: if you give up your life for me, you will find it. These words are recorded at the end of Matthew 10:39.
Contrary to what you might feel, think, or experience in your journey of following Christ, you are found, seen, heard, valued, saved, and received by God the Father through Jesus Christ: “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.” Matthew 10:40 NLT.
Christ is asking us to prioritize our relationships and responsibilities in the context of following him and doing his will. There is, and will be, sacrifices to make in our own lives.
Yet, there is a comfort and confidence by prioritizing Christ for the simple truth that he cares for our families and us better than we do.
By prioritizing Christ and taking up who he is asking us to be and what he is asking us to do, we are elevating the level of love and care for our families and ourselves.
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for calling us to prioritize you above anyone and everyone else. This is the best thing we could ever do for ourselves and our families.
Thank you for being clear about the need to do daily what you ask of us.
Thank you for being upfront about significant sacrifices involved in following you. We trust you as we go through them.
Thank you for a deeper understanding of the love of family and ourselves. You love them and us better than we ever could ourselves. You know what is best. You are leading in their lives faithfully.
We trust you with our families.
We trust you with ourselves.
In your name, Jesus, we pray,
Amen