Matt 10:37
(NAS) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
When I read this chapter with my son the other day, I explained to him that we are to love Jesus more than anyone or anything else in our lives.
I could see the concern in my 12-year-old’s face. He said, “I respect Him the most, but I’m not sure I love Him the most. How do you know you love Him the most?”
My heart delights when I’m reading and studying God’s Word. My son agrees he enjoys reading God’s Word with me, too. But we also enjoy spending time with other people and doing other things. So maybe that doesn’t prove that we love Jesus above all else.
I believe this is why God tests us. To give us an opportunity to choose Him over what we love or want, so that we may know (He already knows) that He is our # 1. Just the way He tested Abraham by having him give up his son, Isaac.
Of course, God telling me to sacrifice my son is highly unlikely. My tests so far has been about giving up my selfish desires to obey God. However, I do see famous Christians watering down their message to appeal to the mass. And I wonder . . . if God gave me a huge platform, would I have the courage to speak the truth?
Stories & Stuff 
Sometimes it’s not about what to give up or quit doing for God, but what we will do for God. We can use the talents God gave us for Him. We can use them in the church or we can use them in our job, giving Him the glory, even taking opportunities to show Christ’s love to one another while we’re doing it. We need to be an example out in the world, but not be of the world.