Matthew 19:29

     How far do we go in "leaving father, mother, sister, brother, fields, etc. to follow Jesus" and is this a physical leaving or just spiritual? Or is it spiritual first, and if things escalate or get damaging to our relationship with Christ, then it becomes physical? Do we take the initiative or do things just happen themselves by circumstances changing, as God prunes us first, and then us away from the thorns that would strangle our growth?
     In life, relationships change and people come and people go into and out of our life. I am suggesting that this is God's way of protecting us at times, and keeping harmful, even unsuspecting things away from us. This can happen in many ways: The other person may be mad at us, and we don't even know what we have done, and so they don't talk to us anymore without explanation. Our spouse may make a decision, which is different from ours, and we go along with it anyway, which includes separating ourselves from certain people. We may feel moved on in ways we don't fully understand, because it's the Holy Spirit doing it in us, to avoid certain people even for reasons only God knows, and so we trust His leading and obey Him. We may move to another part of the country and lose contact with others, or they may move from us, and so contact is severed.
     All that said, there is another question to answer; Is there ever a time that we are to make a decision to sever or leave someone, even a family member or another preoccupation (such as "fields") so we can follow Jesus unhindered and without the tainting that is happening if we stayed in contact with them? Does it ever come to that point in our lives, or more specifically, does He ask all who follow Him to do that? This Scripture seems to say that, and it speaks of rewards if we do, such as 100 percent increase of houses, farms family in this life, and more importantly, ETERNAL LIFE.  It seems to tie in, doing this action to gaining ETERNAL LIFE, doesn't it? Have you ever noticed that? If this is so, it would behoove us to gain understanding in this area, don't you think? That is why I am asking the questions.
     I truly know that only Jesus won for us eternal life, and that we cannot procure it for ourselves, but in these Scriptures, what is He saying to us? Does he want us to leave all, and follow Him, like the  first disciples did? Those are the questions  for today, and heavy questions they are indeed. Let all who want to know His heart and mind on this, seek Him and listen, and respond in and by His power and grace only for the praise of His glory.