I often think about the worst that could happen. It is a form of optimism, I suppose. If I think of the worst thing that could happen, and it doesn’t, which is most likely, that is a good thing.

Unfortunately, the worst that could happen often dissuades us from following Jesus. Matthew 10:34-39 is a perfect example of this kind of worst case thinking.

We read about family tension, about having to love Jesus more than our parents, more than our children. As we read it, we imagine families being broken in religious violence, we think of the tribal tensions that happen in the name of religion.

My guess, however, is that Jesus wasn’t trying to make life miserable. He was wanting to restore order to creation. He was wanting us to love the person that can most help us love other people. He was inviting us to take a stand to surrender everything.

He also wasn’t wanting us to use him as an excuse.

We do that sometimes. We say, “I need to do this to love God,” where this is something that is abrasive or offensive to a family member. Unfortunately, we are trying to love ourselves more than loving God.

What?

What about the times where we say we want to be alone with God and what we really want is to be alone? And when a family member walks in at just the moment we have finally stopped wasting time, we get annoyed. And we excuse our annoyance as “I’m trying to love God most and you are in the way.”

What about the times we get heavily involved in ministry because it makes us feel good, but we say it’s about loving God more than family.

Just like Jesus said.

At least that’s what we say.