Filters for Finding Who's First

Matthew 10:34-39 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn“‘a man against his father,a daughter against her mother,a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. The context here continues to be Jesus sending His apostles out into the world as His servants: following Him is going out there in His name. As they, and we, go, priorities will be tested. Who do we love more? Who do we put first? Family? comfort? Our personal goals? or Him and His? Jesus is filtering out those who really do not want to follow Him, but who really just want Him around in case they need Him. At this point the crowd has become great, yet He narrows it down to twelve that He sends out. As we seek to follow Him, let us put the filters on, straining out all those things, until what we have left is Christ in us.