Thursday, October 1 — Hands on the Plow
Anybody who's ever cut a lawn and glanced back over their shoulder knows what happens next. The line goes crooked.
Luke 9:57-62 — KJV
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 9:57-62 — WEB
57 As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, “I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord.” 58 Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another, “Follow me!” But he said, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce God’s Kingdom.” 61 Another also said, “I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to say good-bye to those who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”
Explanation
A few verses earlier, Luke tells us that Jesus "stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." From this point on, He is walking toward the cross, and everything in the Gospel moves with that same forward lean. On the road, three would-be followers step up. Jesus' answers sound sharp to modern ears, but each one is aimed at something real.
The first man is all enthusiasm: "Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." Jesus answers with a reality check. Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Following Him doesn't come with a guaranteed bed. Count the cost before you sign.
The second man Jesus calls directly: "Follow me." The man answers, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." That sounds reasonable — and burying a parent was a sacred duty. But the phrase may mean "let me wait until my father has passed and my obligations at home are finished," which could be years. Jesus' reply, "Let the dead bury their dead," is deliberate overstatement to make a point about urgency: the kingdom will not wait on "someday."
The third man says, "Let me first go bid them farewell." His request echoes Elisha, who asked Elijah if he could kiss his parents goodbye before following him — and who then burned his plow so there was nothing to go back to. Jesus takes the image further: no one who puts his hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit for the kingdom. A farmer walking behind a plow fixes his eyes on a point at the far end of the field. Look over your shoulder and the furrow wanders.
Notice the word the last two men share: "first." "Me first." Each one wanted to follow Jesus — second.
That is the bridge to Sunday. Joshua will tell Israel to put away the gods their fathers served "on the other side of the flood" and in Egypt. In other words, stop looking back. Radical commitment is a decision with no escape hatch. The old song puts it plainly: I have decided to follow Jesus — no turning back.
Jesus is not against funerals or family. He is against "later." Most of us have a "Lord, but first." First get the kids through school. First get the promotion. First get my life together, then I'll get serious about God. And some of us are looking back in a different way — at an old relationship, an old habit, an old grudge, an old version of ourselves we keep checking on.
If you have looked back, you are in good company; Peter did too, and Jesus restored him. But today is a new furrow. Put your hand to it, pick a point up ahead, and keep walking.
Thought for the Day
Keep your hand on the plow and your eyes forward.
Reflection Question
What is the "Lord, but first" you keep putting between yourself and following Jesus fully?
Prayer
Jesus, You set Your face toward Jerusalem for me and never turned back. Forgive me for all my "but firsts." Loosen my grip on the things behind me, and steady my hands on the work in front of me. Keep my eyes fixed on You, all the way to the end of the row. Amen.
This week we walk toward Sunday's lesson: Radical Commitment to God's Way.