One of my favourite parts in "Leaving Church" was, toward the end, when Barbara Brown Taylor quotes Jesus' words in Luke 14:26: Whoever comes to me and does not hate father, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.
She interprets this as the get out clause, Jesus' way of discouraging folk from going on to Jerusalem with him. That wasn't where he needed them but back at their normal haunts, serving others. It would have done no good for everyone to follow him to death.
I know that that everyday service is hard enough without heaping on more sacrifice. The thought that this was Jesus' way of telling us it's OK to be human makes a huge difference to all the guilt I carry for things undone or not done so well. Its good to know I don't have to be perfect all the time!!!
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