"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple."
Clearly, He isn't calling us to literally hate our families and friends. It's hyperbole, to go back to junior high grammar. Basically, he is using exaggeration to drive home the point. Clearly, he doesn't promote the dishonoring of parents or neglect of children.
It's so much easier to quote this, and discuss it, than to be asked to live it. This section in my Bible is called "Discipleship Tested." This would probably be one of the easiest tests to fail, because we're such relational creatures, don't you think?
An eternal perspective is essential. What we see and know here isn't all there is. And the end is not the end.
Rinse, lather and repeat.
