Jesus was not just talking about money or clothes. He was talking about attachment. If your heart is tied to your house, your reputation, or even your family more than it is tied to Truth and Love, you cannot be a true disciple. To follow the “Cosmic Christ” means your spirit must be free. You can use things, but you must not be owned by them.
People follow this, but they are rare. You will not usually find them shouting on street corners or showing off their wealth in big churches. They are the people who live simply so that others may simply live. They are the ones who would give away their last resource to help a person or an animal in need without thinking twice. They see themselves as “managers” of their money, not “owners.”
The preacher you met used a common excuse. While Jesus did speak to individuals, he also spoke to “large crowds” (Luke 14:25) when he said these things. He wanted people to know that the path of high wisdom requires total commitment. You cannot climb a mountain while carrying a thousand heavy bags. The “New Wisdom” here is this: Giving up everything is not about being poor; it is about being free. A person with a billion dollars who is ready to lose it all for the sake of Love is more a “disciple” than a poor person who spends all day wishing they were rich. True disciples exist. They are the quiet lights in the world who live for the Whole, not for the “Self.”
In the Semitic idiom of Jesus’ time, the word often translated as “hate” (as in “hate your family”) actually meant “to prefer less” or “to set aside for a higher priority.” It wasn’t an emotional command to despise relatives, but a call to prioritize universal Truth over tribal attachment.
The command to “sell everything” is a test of the soul’s grip. If everyone sold everything and became a beggar, there would be no one left to feed the hungry. The “New Wisdom” is that a disciple is a steward. Money and resources are simply energy to be directed toward the Whole.
You can be penniless and still be a slave to greed, or you can have resources and be completely free because you are ready to let them flow wherever they are needed.
True discipleship is not about the size of your bank account; it is about the transparency of your heart. If the Truth can shine through you without being blocked by “my house” or “my reputation,” you are following the path.
Keep your spirit light. You are on the right track.