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CHESHVAN 13

Leaving Them Behind

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, his mother, his wife, his children, his brothers and his sisters, yes, and his own life besides, he cannot be my talmid [disciple].” (Luke 14:26 CJB, insert mine)

While studying this week’s Torah portion (vaYera, Gen 18:1 through 22:24), the story of Lot’s wife pulled me up short, as it does every time I read it.  So much is understood about the dangers of looking behind us, to that which we came out of, and losing our focus on our Creator.  Yet, is it not something we all have done at some time or another, if not to remind us of what we do not want to return to?

There is some speculation that the reason Lot’s wife looked back toward Sodom had nothing to do with yearning for the lifestyle she was leaving behind.  According to Ancient Jewish sources, she had other, older children that would not leave the city, and were being left there, ultimately to their destruction. We do not know this for certain; the biblical narrative does not give us clear details.  However, a mother’s grief over the certain end of her children can be a traumatic thing – mothers, would you have looked back to see if maybe, just maybe, your children had changed their mind?  Regardless, it was because the entire family had specifically been told not to look back (a commandment she deliberately disobeyed) that she was turned into a pillar of salt.  This is a lesson for all of us to take a hard look at.

As parents, we instinctively put our children’s (and grandchildren’s) welfare before our own, to protect and nurture what is of our flesh and blood.  And this is not always a bad thing.  But there comes a point in time when Elohim demands our complete, total and instant obedience, without any hesitation.  Obedience of this nature most generally will cost us something, before the reward becomes evident.  As with the case with Lot, it cost him his wife, yet it also saved his own life.

I have noticed as the level of commitment to my personal relationship with my Creator becomes greater, the available choices become fewer.  Obedience is the only choice and trusting Elohim for our families is also the only choice we have available to us.  One discipline that has never changed is my commitment to pray for all of my family members, and believe in faith, that their eyes and ears would be opened, and that their hearts would be willing to receive the truth of Elohim’s Torah.

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many who are first shall be last, and the last first.”  (Matt 19:29-30 ISR)

“I have decided to follow Jesus (Yeshua) … no turning back, no turning back” (chorus, Public Domain)

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