Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 (CEV)
Many times we can easily become attached to the things in our lives – a nice home, a cushy job or a welcoming neighborhood. These things (when we place a big emphasis on them) can distract us from our calling from God. These things are all blessings from God as long as we are willing to give them up if He asks us to.
The disciples were told to drop everything and follow after Christ. The same invitation is being extended to us. We need to be willing to drop everything (those things that we have become overly attached to or things that have become more important in our lives than God) and follow Christ. We need to sever the ties from those temporary things of this life and be bound to God’s eternal plan.