Teach your kids to hate you?

No… I’m not trying to be sensationalistic… just true to what Jesus said:

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 bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.Luke 14:26-42

So was Jesus a hate-monger?

No.

He was and is King of the Universe. And as King of the Universe, Jesus rightly deserves:

every ounce of devotion of every human being who has ever lived or will ever live.
every place of highest priority in every human heart.
all honor, glory, and preference the human heart can offer.

Your kids need to know that… and you need to teach it to them.

[pullquote position=”right”]Jesus is worth more to your kids than they know.[/pullquote] He’s worth more than:

Their I-phone or X-box.
Their closest friends or extra-curricular school activities.
Their favorite movies or foods.
You. Yes, He’s worth more to them than you, their parent.

That was Jesus’ point… the one He wants every human being to understand.

He is worthy… of all our attention, praise, devotion, preference, adoration, and lives. PERIOD.

How can you teach your kids that Jesus is worth more?

Stop making the household revolve around you and start making it revolve around Jesus.
Stop setting an example that shows your kids that you think other things are more important than Him (is it truly worth it to miss worship because of a football game)?
Stop neglecting your own study of the Bible and time in prayer.
Start talking with your kids about Jesus daily. Colossians chapter 1 is a great place to start.
Start encouraging them to evaluate what is important to them, and why. Help them see that everything pales in comparison to Jesus.
Start praying together, worshiping together, and reading the scriptures together, so they can see that Jesus is taking on a larger role in your life.

[pullquote position=”right”]As your children begin to see YOU more devoted to Jesus… they will be more prone to devotion to Jesus.[/pullquote]

And they just might begin to hate you (in comparison to Jesus)… and that’s not a bad thing.