Follow Me

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

FOLLOW ME

Matt 8:21-22

21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead." 

NIV

We just had a man who made such a rash declaration that he would follow Jesus wherever he went. Now we have this man who seems to want to be a follower of Jesus and was already a disciple of his. We are not sure if this was one of the Apostles, one of the twelve, but nevertheless he was a disciple at large. He had been following enough to be identified as a disciple. His request seems reasonable enough. We are assuming by his words his father just died and he needed to attend to the funeral preparations. But further research would indicate his father might well had been very sick, almost to the point of death. This would then be a son wanting to pay his respect to his father upon his death bed. This could also have been a son wanting to get his portion of the father’s estate, receiving his blessing from his dying father. Either case it would seem an appropriate request, at first, until we see the response of Jesus. Jesus was not approving of this request as his first response was, “Follow me”. This would indicate Jesus was more concerned about this disciple’s spiritual wellbeing then his attending to worldly affairs. It seems rather harsh to tell this disciple to let the dead bury the dead. Yet it would also be impossible for dead men to bury other dead men, unless of course, he was speaking about the spiritually dead. How can a man set his following Christ aside to attend to the affairs of the world? This was the point Jesus was making. The world, the affairs of the world, going to this city and that buying and selling, gaining wealth, looking after self-interests are conducted by the spiritually dead according to Jesus. We cannot do both, follow Jesus and attend to worldly matters. True, we need a home, a place to hang our hat, so to speak. Many of us need cars in order to get to work, to shop for food and clothing, as well as other material needs. But from whose hand has all we have been provided, ours or his? Yes, it is our effort, but we have been told to occupy, to work, to toil the ground all the days of our lives for our sustenance, as God told Adam at the very beginning. But it is about who we follow. Do we follow the ways of the world or do we follow Jesus. Just because some would say they do not smoke, drink, go to movies, dance, or even some say the women must cover their hair, which they cannot cut, wear long dresses, or plain clothes, does not mean they are not following the ways of the world in commerce or trade with financial matters. All those who attend to their man made rules and regulations may well not be following Jesus as he intends. This is want we need to also be careful and vigilant about. It is an easy trap to fall into. There are so many things we think we need. There is so much we think we have to take care of, manage to ensure our daily needs as well as our future needs. It can engulf us if we are not careful. It would serve us well to remember to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and he will add all these things to us. The things the pagans, the world runs after, attends to first. Let the dead bury the dead, as for us, we need to heed his words, “Follow me”.