As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” vs. 57
Luke 9:57-62
As the preaching and healing ministry of Jesus gained momentum, occasionally he would ask people to follow him, and sometimes there were even volunteers. Some folks were wanting to jump on the bandwagon, but Luke tells us that Jesus wasn’t very welcoming. He told one man to let the dead bury their own dead, and another that he couldn’t go home and say goodbye to his family. It’s impossible to know exactly what he was up to, but he seems to be saying that being his follower isn’t a calling for everyone. In fact it may even be that those who think they are following Jesus really aren’t following him at all. Certainly not all those who call themselves Christian are followers of Jesus. To follow Jesus means the denial of self and the embrace of the other. It means standing with those who are suffering and working for justice, speaking truth to power, and being passionate advocates for those who are oppressed. Not everyone will find that kind of life appealing or comfortable. It’s a lot easier to adopt the ways of the world, get good-paying jobs, raise a family, and make sure we have a good retirement plan–and maybe even go to church once in a while. And those aren’t bad things–they just aren’t part of the job description for followers of Jesus!
Thought for the Day: What’s the benefit of being a follower of Jesus?
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