Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 / Matthew 12:46-50
Two professors were discussing about their lectures and how many students they have.
The first said that he has about three hundred students for his lectures.
The second said that he also had about three hundred people coming for his lectures.
And then he said, “Though I have about three hundred attending my lectures, I don’t really know how many are my students.”
What the second professor said may sound rather odd.
But what he meant is that though anyone can come for his lectures, he can’t be certain how many of those really understood what he is teaching and putting it into practice.
"Anyone" is an indefinite pronoun meaning any person or anybody.
But what comes after that would specify the conditions or requirements for that “anyone”.
So anyone can be a Christian, but the requirement or condition is that he must carry the cross and follow after Jesus.
In the gospel, Jesus used the word “anyone” but He also specified what this “anyone” must do.
And that is to do the will of God the Father.
So anyone can be a Christian, but he must carry his cross and follow after Jesus to do will of God.
When we carry the cross and follow Jesus to do the will of God, then we become truly the brother or sister of Jesus.