“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9.57-62
Three Responses, Three Invitations
First, a man approaches Jesus while he is walking and boldly declares, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replies by speaking of foxes and birds, highlighting the cost, unrest, and sacrifice required to truly follow Him.
In the second encounter, Jesus initiates the invitation: “Follow me.” The man responds, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Was the father even dead? Or was the man simply making an excuse to delay his commitment? Jesus tells him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
A third person says, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus, seeing the hesitation, replies, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Three different people. Three different excuses. The same loving invitation from Jesus.
Following Jesus is not easy. It requires sacrifice. Jesus invites all of us to follow Him, yet we often make excuses not to do so. None of these three interactions in Luke 9 ends with a clear “yes” from the person being called. Not one of them is recorded as actually following Christ in that moment.
So why does Jesus give us this lesson about following—or not following—Him?
Jesus desires all people to follow Him and enter into a relationship with God. Yet people repeatedly make excuses. Still, Jesus keeps inviting. Generations come and go. Some heed the call and follow; others ignore it. But Jesus continues to call.
Perhaps today is the day you respond to God’s call upon your life. When we set aside our sin, discard our excuses, and begin walking with Jesus—the Master and Commander of our souls.
“O Lord God, you are good and faithful. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for allowing me to walk in your grace. I praise you, Lord, for your goodness, your patience, and your kindness in receiving all people to yourself. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your love. I praise your name and lift you high, for you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen.