November 21

And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. — Luke 14:27 BSB

The condition of being a disciple of Christ is total devotion to Him. When Jesus says that we must hate father, mother, wife, children, and even our own lives, He doesn't mean literal hatred. Rather, He is teaching that all other relationships and interests must come second to Him. Christ Himself must be first in our hearts and lives.

The great need in Christian living is more complete surrender. We cannot serve two masters. If we choose to serve the world, we cannot truly serve Christ, for He will not accept half-hearted devotion. When Jesus says that we must renounce all that we have to be His disciples, He means that we must be willing to give up anything that stands in the way of following Him. Everything we are and everything we have must be fully at His disposal. This is what is meant by being like good salt—salt that has not lost its flavor. Salt that has lost its savor is like a life mixed with worldly values, where the Christian identity is hardly recognizable.