Worthy

This week as I was studying Matthew 10:24-39 for my lesson on Sunday, the word “worthy” in verses 37 and 38 struck me hard. The Greek áxios used by Jesus literally refers to a scale balance used by merchants in the marketplace in His day. It is used to judge the worth as in its inherent value. For example, it you were to purchase 2 pounds (libra) of wheat, on one side of the scale will hang an official weight of 2 pounds certified by the Roman government. Then the merchant will place wheat in a bucket on the other side until its measure balances out the standard weight.

With this in mind then the Matthew 10:37-38 passage comes alive, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” The love spoke of here is the phileo love, a love of earthly relationship. Jesus implied that if our agape (unconditional) love for Him is not above all earthly relationships then we are not worthy of Him. The mental picture Jesus painted for His twelve disciples (and to us) was that He being the standard weight is to be far superior (or more) than the sum of all others, so that no matter how much you put in the “bucket” it will never balance out the standard.

In our modern busy life, we try to balance so many things, things such as career and family, working late and taking the kids to soccer or baseball practices, church and recreation, needs and wants. The list can go on and on. The trick is to balance this life we are given… or is it?

Certainly Jesus was implying that He is to be placed far above all. The scale of our life is not to be in balance at all but to be tipping towards Him and Him alone. This seem kind of against everything we were taught and thought, doesn’t it? But let me suggest a different perspective. If the scale of your life is tipped towards the Savior, then you can pile on trials, difficulties, pains, heartaches, disappointments, mistakes, sicknesses, and whatever else you can think of into that bucket and it will NEVER weigh down the standard measurer. It will never be in balance. Perhaps this was the picture Jesus had in mind when He said His burden is easy and light. To consider Jesus above all then is to give Jesus “permission” to interrupt our lives and plans to conform to His.

The overwhelming question that bombarded me is this: Is HE worthy of it all to me? If He truly is, then what have I to forfeit when I give Him all of my life. Just something to think about…