Luke 14

In Luke 14 Jesus was visiting a leading Pharisee with other guests. There was a man with dropsy, and Jesus healed him. Then He made the point that they would save their livestock on the Sabbath, so why shouldn't He heal on the Sabbath - and none of them could answer Him. They couldn't admit that they valued livestock more than people.

Then Jesus told the guests not to choose the place of honor, but to choose the lowly places. That way they can be invited into the place of honor rather than be removed to the lowly places. And He told them not to invite people who could repay them, but to invite people who had nothing because God will reward them for their generosity. This is an illustration of something that Jesus often says - the first will be last, and the last will be first. Do not seek the high places but the low, and God will call you into the place of honor.

The Parable of the Banquet is an illustration of God having prepared a place for His chosen people, but they rejected Him, so He invited everyone else. The ones who rejected Him were too attached to their wealth and comfort to honor God's invitation, but the ones who have nothing, or are willing to give up everything, are the ones who honor God's invitation.

Jesus said that if we don't hate our family and even our own life we cannot follow Him. He's not asking us to actually hate the people we love the most - remember that He also says that we are to love our enemies. He's saying that we must love Him more, and serve Him first. And following Him could mean ministering to your family - but you do it out of obedience to God, not in place of obeying God. Don't take your faith lightly - it does come with a cost, and you should be willing and able to pay that cost. We must be willing to give up everything to follow Jesus.

Salt has flavor. We are to have flavor. We are not to be nameless, faceless people in the crowd. Our faith should flavor everything about us. If people can't tell that you follow Jesus, then you may have lost connection with Him.