What does Jesus mean when He says to "hate" our families in order to be His disciples?

Pastor Trent Moody explores the parable in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus addresses those following Him. Christ makes the profound statement that those who wish to be His disciples must "hate" their family. This statement, naturally, appears paradoxical. However, Moody explains that this is not a call to despise or withhold love from our kin. As Christians, we are still commanded to love our spouses and children.

Instead, the "hatred" that Jesus refers to is a comparison. Our love and devotion for Christ should be so complete and overwhelming, that in comparison, our affection for our families would seem like "hatred." Our love for Christ should surpass all other affections in our life. This is the mark of a true disciple, one who is willing to put Jesus above all else.

Matthew 10:37 (NKJV): '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.'

In going to the scriptures in the gospels of Luke, there's this parable that Jesus tells to those who were following Him. And He wanted to show them not the simplicity so much of it, but the largeness of it and the seriousness of being a disciple. And He describes it like this. He says in Luke 14, 25, Now great multitudes went with him, and he turned and said to them, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." This is an astounding statement as we think of that naturally. It seems paradoxical, but this is what it means to truly be a disciple and to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

It's not a hatred in what we would think that we shouldn't love our wives because we're also commanded to love our wives and our children, but in comparison with our love and devotion and affections to the Lord Jesus Christ, it looks as if it would be hatred. So that's what it looks like.