I have heard many say to me, “When I am an empty nester, then I will go.” Others have said, “When I retire and don’t work as much, then I will go.” And some have even said, “When I have money one day, then I will go.” I could write a coffee table book on all the excuses I have heard for why people cannot go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.
“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’
“Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’
“He said to another man, ‘Follow me.’
“But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’
“Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’
“Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.’
“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
It seemed Jesus struggled with the same responses, and He was physically present with them. There couldn’t have been anything more compelling than the very person of Jesus in flesh and blood. But busyness and distraction and family matters were issues in the ancient world as well.
Following Jesus Requires Prioritizing Jesus
Jesus was pretty honest about what the cost would look like. He didn’t bait and switch His disciples. He was on the move and without a home. It wasn’t a life of comfort and ease. Even Jesus weighed the cost of obedience to the Father.
When He said to the man, “‘Follow me,’” the man had an ill father for whom he was caring. This was not a funeral he needed to quickly attend. This was a period of caretaking that could last for a long while.
“He was not torn between the right and wrong. He was torn between the right and right. He hesitated between two rival claims, both of them stamped with the seal of the divine.” –George H. Morrison
So what do we do with the invitation of Christ and our responsibilities at home? Both are good and right. How do we choose? Jesus challenged the man to follow Him without delay. He made it clear that no family responsibility—or any other commitment—should take priority over obedience to Him. Following Jesus requires that He hold first place above everything else.
Following Jesus Requires Commitment and Strength
The first man was eager to follow Jesus without fully counting the cost, while the second man hesitated and delayed his response. One rushed in without understanding the commitment; the other allowed excuses to keep him from obeying.
Let’s look at the third man who wanted to follow Jesus, but he, too, had a short delay because he wanted to say goodbye to his family. You would think Jesus would say, “Come find me in a week in Galilee; I will wait for you.” But He pushed back even on this rationale. Perhaps Jesus knew the human condition of finding excuses for not doing the hard thing?
“O young man, when you are thinking of leaving the world, be afraid of these farewells! They have been the ruin of hundreds of hopeful people. They have been almost persuaded; but they have gone to their old companions just to give them the last kiss, and the last shake of the hand, and we have not seen anything more of them.” –Charles Spurgeon
Jesus concluded with the illustration of a farmer—the example needed to show His followers what commitment looked like in picture form. Following Jesus will require commitment, and it will require strength. We can’t plow a field when we are looking backwards. Our eyes must be fixed on the field God is commanding us to plow and seed.
Our eyes and hearts are focused forward on our very great reward—Jesus. Jesus was ploughing His field, and His eyes were set on Jerusalem and His great reward—the glory of His Father and the eternal joy of His rescued people (us).
Don’t Delay Obedience
So, I beseech you with my whole heart—don’t delay your obedience to God’s invitation and command to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Don’t let fear, comfort, convenience, or human reasoning keep you from saying, “Yes,” to Jesus.
You see the cost, but He sees the reward.
You see the paid time off you’ll have to use. He sees the faith that will be forged in the fire of obedience.
You see the discomfort of raising support. He sees the testimony of His provision and faithfulness that will mark you for the rest of your life.
You see the tears in your children’s eyes as you leave. He sees the spiritual inheritance being deposited into their hearts as they watch a parent value the Kingdom above all else.
What feels costly in the moment will produce eternal fruit. The sacrifices you make today will matter for all eternity. One day, you will stand before Jesus with crowns to lay at His feet—crowns of faith-filled obedience, surrendered comfort, and lives impacted by the gospel because you said, “Yes.”
We are not taking our vacation days to Heaven. We are not taking our bank accounts, our busy schedules, our possessions, or our earthly accomplishments. The only thing we are taking with us is people.
People matter. Souls matter. Eternity matters.
So I urge you to reconsider the cost. Lift your eyes beyond the temporary, and see what God sees. Fully surrender to His call. This is what Jesus modeled for us. He laid aside comfort, embraced the cross, and gave everything so that we could have abundant life now and eternal life forever.
And somewhere in a village, a city, a refugee camp, or a remote corner of the world, there is someone waiting. Someone longing. Someone desperate for hope. Someone who has never heard the name of Jesus. What if your obedience is the answer to their cries?
Don’t delay. Don’t look back. Say, “Yes,” to Jesus, and trust Him with the cost. What awaits on the other side of your obedience is far greater than anything you leave behind.
Join the Arise Movement
Women who are equipped to live boldly for the gospel are a key to unlocking movements of the gospel in the world’s spiritually darkest places. Through Arise, East-West helps women take action and follow the Holy Spirit to be bold and reach the lost. Understand your role in the Great Commission and be equipped to boldly bring the world an encounter with Jesus.
