Luke 14:25-33
Let go
Now large crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and said to them,‘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. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” 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? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.
I was chatting with a young intern at work . I noticed a few days earlier that he drove a Jeep Wrangler. I told him that I had a Wrangler once. It was a beauty. heavily modified, lifted, big tires and whole host of upgrades that made it a formidable off roader. Of course I also mentioned the fun I had with the top and doors off riding on the beach. What a great time was had in that Jeep. Why did I sell it he asked? The time had come I answered and while my heart stirs each time I see a Jeep on the road, I still have all my memories and the Jeep still lives in my heart and mind. I have no problem letting go, enjoying it while I had it and even enjoying the fact that the new owner is enjoying it now.
Some people have great difficulty letting go of the past. There are however two options as I see it. One is to live in the past which, at the very least limits your future. The other is to fully embrace the past, savor it, learn from it, but live in the now. To some this might seem cold or even disrespectful of what has gone before. The past will always be a part of me , of all of us. It helps make us who we are. But to live in the past means we are really ceasing to grow.
The reading today speaks of much the same idea. We must be willing to let go, to plan for the future. That does not mean you forget about the past or not appreciate where the past has brought you. It means that you are embracing growth.
I am not one to believe that we must literally disown our parents, wife or children to be disciples as the reading might suggest. But we must carry our crosses and move forward. If we are called to be disciples, if we are called to be our fully human selves as God created us, we must move forward. We do not disregard the past, we do not forget or disrespect the past but we must embrace it all and move forward in faith, in growth - in love.
I was chatting with a young intern at work . I noticed a few days earlier that he drove a Jeep Wrangler. I told him that I had a Wrangler once. It was a beauty. heavily modified, lifted, big tires and whole host of upgrades that made it a formidable off roader. Of course I also mentioned the fun I had with the top and doors off riding on the beach. What a great time was had in that Jeep. Why did I sell it he asked? The time had come I answered and while my heart stirs each time I see a Jeep on the road, I still have all my memories and the Jeep still lives in my heart and mind. I have no problem letting go, enjoying it while I had it and even enjoying the fact that the new owner is enjoying it now.
Some people have great difficulty letting go of the past. There are however two options as I see it. One is to live in the past which, at the very least limits your future. The other is to fully embrace the past, savor it, learn from it, but live in the now. To some this might seem cold or even disrespectful of what has gone before. The past will always be a part of me , of all of us. It helps make us who we are. But to live in the past means we are really ceasing to grow.
The reading today speaks of much the same idea. We must be willing to let go, to plan for the future. That does not mean you forget about the past or not appreciate where the past has brought you. It means that you are embracing growth.
I am not one to believe that we must literally disown our parents, wife or children to be disciples as the reading might suggest. But we must carry our crosses and move forward. If we are called to be disciples, if we are called to be our fully human selves as God created us, we must move forward. We do not disregard the past, we do not forget or disrespect the past but we must embrace it all and move forward in faith, in growth - in love.
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