Thanks, Jimmy Carter

I really do not like the majority of Jimmy Carter’s politics. I also am at odds with much of his liberal views regarding Christianity. No doubt about it, I’m more conservative in both areas. But, I do not doubt his love for Christ and his desire to serve Him, so I bought (at a huge savings) his e-book Amazon had on sale, “Through the Year With Jimmy Carter.”

His devotions begin with a Bible verse, his views, background or a story and ends with a prayer. I do have to look up the verses – I continue to prefer the King James Version and see no reason to move to Carter’s preferred New International Version (which is copyrighted by Biblica, Inc.)

Last night I was reading Chapter 17, “A Shocking Revelation.” The scripture used reads:

And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-26 KJV)

I agreed with Carter’s assessment that hating my family is impossible. I had neglected to do as he did and look up the Greek word in Strong’s to define ‘hate.’ So, I did:

G3404
μισέω
miseō
mis-eh'-o
From a primary word μῖσος misos (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less: - hate (-ful).

Of course!! As much as I love my parents, my spouse, my children – those people I would give my life for – I do love them less than I love Christ.

Why? Because He is able to give those I love so much more than I can. He loves them so much more than I do. My love for family includes my desire that they would come to trust and serve Him – that’s the only way we can spend eternity together.  Oh, I know our relationships will be different in heaven, as Jesus explained when the Sadducees gave him a trick question about a woman married seven times. Sadducees did not believe there was anything beyond death (that’s why they were sad, you see [sorry, couldn’t pass that up]), thus this question:

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. (Matthew 22:28-30 KJV)

Christ is not requiring that we include hate in our lives, only that we love Him more; that we listen to Him first. When it comes to priorities, He comes before parents, before my husband, before my children, even before my precious grand and great-grandchildren. Part of what that means to me is that I show those I love how much I do love Him.

How else can they know how much I love them eternally?