Matthew 10:29-39

29 "What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do.

30 He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail - even numbering the hairs on your head!

31 So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.

32 "Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven.

33 If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you?

34 "Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut -

35 make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law - cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.

36 Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.

37 If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me.

38 "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me.

39 If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me.