Jesus’ Radical Act of Love from Mat. 8:18-22

From Mat. 8:18-22.

Jesus’ act of love was seen when he spoke to potential disciples in a curt and forthright manner.  To a religious scholar, who told Jesus he would go wherever Jesus lead him, the Lord countered with “Are you really ready to rough it?”  To another man who requested time to bury his father, Jesus said, “ Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead.”  Towards both men, Jesus spoke truth. Yet his manner was abrupt, straight forward and almost flippant. What he said was not received well by either man, as noted by the fact that they turned away from him.

The result was that neither man followed Jesus.  Two potential disciples, turned off because Jesus exhorted them in an abrupt and possibly harsh manner, dropped by the wayside,

The application of this act of love is the fact our speaking the truth may turn some people off. When we model ourselves after Jesus and exhort truth as needed to someone, the result may be a disruption in our relationship with that person.  They may turn away from us. Perhaps the truth will be too harsh for them to bear.