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“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. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
— Luke 14:26-27 (KJV)
A woman in Lagos sits in her sitting room, her phone buzzing with messages from family members. Her uncle, a wealthy man of influence, has promised her a lucrative business contract—but only if she abandons her commitment to lead a youth outreach programme at church. The money would secure her family’s future. The programme requires sacrifice: long hours, meagre stipend, uncertainty. She feels the weight of expectation pressing down. This is obedience at its most costly.
Jesus did not mince words when He spoke of discipleship. In Luke 14:26-27, He makes clear that following Him demands a love so radical that all earthly attachments—even the most precious—must pale in comparison. This is not hatred in the sense of animosity, but rather the subordination of every claim upon us to Christ’s supreme authority. When obedience to God clashes with the comfort or approval we crave from others, we discover the true measure of our allegiance.
The word “disciple” comes from the same root as “discipline.” It means one who is trained, shaped, and corrected. Bearing the cross is not a metaphor for minor inconvenience; it speaks of dying to self-interest. In Matthew 16:24-25, Christ says, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” The paradox is stunning: we lose everything only to find everything of true worth.
In Nigeria, where family loyalty runs deep and communal obligation is paramount, this teaching strikes hard. Our culture prizes obedience to parents and elders—a principle Scripture honours (Exodus 20:12). Yet when those we love ask us to compromise our walk with Christ, we face a collision of goods. In such moments, we must remember that no earthly relationship supersedes our relationship with Jesus. He is the foundation; all else is built upon that.
Consider the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22). He loved his possessions more than obedience, and he walked away sorrowful. But consider also Peter and the apostles, who left their nets, their livelihoods, their social standing. “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” (Matthew 19:27). Jesus promised them a hundredfold return—not necessarily in temporal wealth, but in spiritual inheritance and eternal reward.
The cost of obedience is real. But the cost of disobedience—separation from God’s presence, the withering of the soul, the loss of His kingdom—is infinitely greater.
Today, where does God call you to costly obedience? Whose disapproval do you fear more than His? Ask yourself honestly: Am I willing to be misunderstood, to be passed over, to be deemed foolish by the world, if it means walking truly with Jesus?
Lord, strengthen my heart to choose obedience over comfort, Your approval over man’s applause.