Formation | Thursday | 10/22

Competing Voices

Luke 14:25–33 Now large crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he cannot, then while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. ³³ So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

Most of us aren't struggling to find something to do.

We're struggling to find enough time to do everything.

Work. School. Family. Sports. Appointments. Friendships. Responsibilities.

And even when we finally sit down, there's an entire world competing for our attention through the screens in our pockets.

Jesus speaks challenging words about discipleship in Luke 14. He tells His followers that even their closest relationships cannot take priority over Him.

Jesus isn't teaching us to despise our families.

He's teaching us that following Him requires a radical reordering of our loves.

And that's particularly challenging when our lives are already so full.

We might find ourselves asking, “How am I supposed to find time for discipleship?”

But perhaps we've been asking the wrong question.

What if discipleship isn't supposed to be another activity we squeeze into our already overcrowded schedules?

What if following Jesus is supposed to shape how we understand everything else?

Our work. Our families. Our relationships. Our priorities.

Jesus isn't asking to become one more voice competing for our attention. He's inviting us to allow His voice to shape how we hear everything else.

Reflect: 

What currently receives the greatest share of your attention and affection? How is that shaping the person you're becoming?

Pray: 

Jesus, my life is filled with so many voices and responsibilities. Help me hear your voice among them. Reorder my priorities and my loves so that following you shapes the whole of my life. Amen.