Luke 9:61-62 (NASB)
61 Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."
62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
It is exciting to see new believers on fire for Jesus when they start following Him. They love to worship, study, learn, grow, and talk to others about the Lord. They are enthusiastic. Zealous. They do not always know the right religious protocols. They do love Jesus and they desire to follow Him.
Some start well, but do not finish well. They get lured back into the old life. They get blindsided with trials and turn to old behaviors to help cope. Some cannot handle the cost of this new way of life. Family and friends put pressure on them to compromise. It is easy to look back at all the things that are supposed to be left behind.
The disciple in the passage for today said, "I will follow You Lord, but first permit me..." His request seemed reasonable. He just wanted to say goodbye to his family. Jesus demands our love and loyalty even above our families. Many use their families as excuses why they do not wholeheartedly follow Jesus. They hide behind the wishes of parents, the safety of children, and spouses.
Jesus' words seem extremely harsh. Insensitive and unreasonable even. We are called to honor our mother and father. [Ex 20:12] Saying goodbye to them before following Jesus does not seem unreasonable. It is the reluctance to focus forward that is the issue. Jesus calls us to follow Him. The mission He calls us to requires true devotion and total attention. When we continually look over our shoulder at what we left behind, we cannot be focused on what lies ahead. Jesus is not against families. He just will not allow family to be an excuse for not following Him. He calls people to be all in.
When I learned to drive, I had a little accident in our neighborhood. I got so distracted on something behind me I kept looking in the rearview mirror. I did not notice the curve in front of me. When I looked up I jumped the curb taking out shrubs in someone's front yard and narrowly missed a telephone pole. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Focus must be forward.
Following Jesus is costly. He demands our everything. It often requires sacrifice. The cost of discipleship is commitment. Allegiance to the Master. Unwavering faith to follow wherever He leads. The truth is many Christians idolize their families. There can only be one King seated on the throne of our hearts. Jesus will not share that throne with anyone or anything. Not even family.
We are challenged to put our hands to the plow and to plow straight furrows. To keep our eyes, attention, and feet focused forward on the task at hand. It does not mean we love our families less. It means we are to love Jesus more. Even more than our families.
- Are you ever tempted to look back at the old life before you were saved? Does the old life ever lure you to return to a life of sin? If so, how do you handle this?
- What does putting your hand to the plow of following Jesus mean?
- Has following Jesus cost you anything? Has the reward been worth the sacrifice?
- Do you idolize your family, meaning to love them more than the Lord? Do you use family as an excuse for not following Jesus wholeheartedly? Pray about what Jesus demands of you.
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