57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9)
Jesus had "set His face" to go to Jerusalem, to make this journey where He would lay down His life for His followers. Some, when they saw his resolve, turned away and would not follow. Some vowed they would, but did not know what they were saying. This "following" is not a passive "go with the flow" or "do the popular thing" type of venture. It is the kind of following the people of Israel did in the wilderness with the pillar of fire and cloud of God's presence. They followed Him to survive and thrive. It was not always a straight line or an easy path. The only way to stay on the "straight and narrow" is to keep looking ahead. When we look back, and want the old life back - the one we gave up to follow after Christ, we will turn around to find we have gotten totally off the path, focused on the wrong things, trusting in ourselves instead of Him. Where are you looking today?
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