Would you leave everything to follow Jesus?

Luke 5:27 (NASB)

So Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him.

One of the most difficult statements in the entire Bible is the passage later on in Luke where Jesus said, “So, therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.“ (Luke 14:33).  Think about what Jesus is saying here.  Note the word “all”.  He says that no one can be a true disciple unless you give up ALL your possessions.   Apparently that is what Levi (later called Matthew) did.  Are any of us who want to follow Jesus really required to give up all of our own possessions? 

I would like to think that this has more of a symbolic meaning than literal meaning.  In other words, perhaps it means that I am willing to give up everything before I’d give up my willingness to follow Jesus.  But, is that enough?  If you start reading the Luke 14 context starting in verse 25, you read some more startling statements of Jesus.  To follow Him requires hating everyone else, even your own life, compared to being His disciple.  Can anyone really do this?  So, it seems that it is not enough just to be willing to give up everything and every one, you really need to do this.

However, the 33^rd verse quoted in the first paragraph above starts with the word “therefore”.  In the Bible, the word “Therefore” should read “therefore what?” and is a transition word to relate what is about to be stated to that just stated.  If you read Luke 14:28-32, Jesus talks about the preparation to make a commitment, using everyday examples like planning to build a structure or planning to go to war.  What Jesus is really demanding of those who are thinking about following Him is their sincere commitment.  He is asking us to (1) evaluate your relationships, (2) evaluate your plans and goals, and (3) evaluate your willingness to pay the price of following Him. 

I have a note in my Bible from this passage in Luke 14 (I did not record who said or wrote this) that reads: “The lack of commitment to Jesus Christ is the greatest problem in the church”.  What do you think about this?  Regardless, are you willing to make a commitment, a firm decision, to follow Jesus as His disciple?