I know this was stated a while ago but I wanted to share where my trouble is with this conclusion. When Jesus was speaking to the multitudes and His mother and brothers were on the outside desiring to see Him, He taught that His family was really those who did the will of God. I have taken this to mean that He might be saying that when you become a Christian, your biological parents are no longer your parents and therefore I would no longer be held to honoring them by staying in touch with them.
Are your parents not following Christ?
Also the passage about the rich young ruler is the one that usually makes me think Jesus wants me to give up absolutely everything and be homeless before I can follow Him. I know that this is not a prerequisite for everyone, but how do I know it's not for me?
How did the Apostle Paul live while he was a missionary? He worked as a tentmaker to supply for his own needs so as not to be a burden upon those he preached to... and he had this to say to those who would follow Christ:
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NKJV)
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 NKJV)
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. (Ephesians 4:28 NKJV)