Day 3: Courage to Set Boundaries
Theme: Following Jesus does not mean loving family and friends less; it means having the courage to make our commitment to Him clear.
1 Kings 19:20 ... “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
As Elisha prepares to follow Elijah, he makes one request of the older prophet: “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” Elijah’s response seems harsh at first glance: “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” But if we look carefully, Elijah is pressing Elisha to consider the weight of the call: Do you really understand what you are being asked to do?
That is a question every follower of Jesus must be able to answer. Do we really understand what it means to follow Him? In Luke 14:26, Jesus tells would-be followers a hard thing: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” Does following Jesus mean we are supposed to hate our families, cut all ties, or stop loving the people closest to us? Thankfully, no. Jesus uses strong language to make a serious point: our first allegiance belongs to Him, no matter what it may cost. Even if it costs us comfort, approval, relationships, or our own plans, Jesus must have first place. That takes courage.
When we look again at Elisha, we see that he understands the call. He does not need to go home and say, “Mom, Dad, I hate you. I’m leaving.” Instead, he needs to make his priorities clear. He returns to his family and community not to negotiate God’s call, but to say goodbye and show that his life now belongs to God’s purpose. He still loves his family, but he cannot let even good relationships keep him from obedience.
That is where boundaries often become necessary. Boundaries are not a lack of love; they are a way of making love obedient to God. Sometimes following Jesus means saying no to expectations that pull us away from Him. Sometimes it means disappointing people we care about because we cannot make their approval our highest goal. Sometimes it means drawing a clear line and saying, “I love you, but I belong to Christ first.”
This kind of courage is not loud or arrogant. It does not use faith as an excuse to be harsh. It simply refuses to let any earthly relationship take the place that belongs to Jesus alone. Elisha’s goodbye reminds us that following God does not erase our love for others, but it does reorder our loves. When Christ is first, every other relationship finds its proper place beneath Him.
1 Kings 19:20 ... “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
As Elisha prepares to follow Elijah, he makes one request of the older prophet: “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” Elijah’s response seems harsh at first glance: “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” But if we look carefully, Elijah is pressing Elisha to consider the weight of the call: Do you really understand what you are being asked to do?
That is a question every follower of Jesus must be able to answer. Do we really understand what it means to follow Him? In Luke 14:26, Jesus tells would-be followers a hard thing: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” Does following Jesus mean we are supposed to hate our families, cut all ties, or stop loving the people closest to us? Thankfully, no. Jesus uses strong language to make a serious point: our first allegiance belongs to Him, no matter what it may cost. Even if it costs us comfort, approval, relationships, or our own plans, Jesus must have first place. That takes courage.
When we look again at Elisha, we see that he understands the call. He does not need to go home and say, “Mom, Dad, I hate you. I’m leaving.” Instead, he needs to make his priorities clear. He returns to his family and community not to negotiate God’s call, but to say goodbye and show that his life now belongs to God’s purpose. He still loves his family, but he cannot let even good relationships keep him from obedience.
That is where boundaries often become necessary. Boundaries are not a lack of love; they are a way of making love obedient to God. Sometimes following Jesus means saying no to expectations that pull us away from Him. Sometimes it means disappointing people we care about because we cannot make their approval our highest goal. Sometimes it means drawing a clear line and saying, “I love you, but I belong to Christ first.”
This kind of courage is not loud or arrogant. It does not use faith as an excuse to be harsh. It simply refuses to let any earthly relationship take the place that belongs to Jesus alone. Elisha’s goodbye reminds us that following God does not erase our love for others, but it does reorder our loves. When Christ is first, every other relationship finds its proper place beneath Him.
Prayer
Lord, give me the courage to put You first in every relationship. Help me love my family and friends well without letting their approval become greater than my obedience to You. Teach me to set boundaries with humility, clarity, and grace. Reorder my loves so that everything in my life finds its proper place under Your leadership.
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