Reflecting on Luke 9:57-62
"No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)About 10 years ago my children challenged me to participate in a triathlon.
I was not fit for participating in a triathlon.
This did not mean I could not do it, but I was not well-placed to do it.
Not as I was, I needed to make some changes to do it.
Thankfully with their encouragement, I eventually completed a triathlon.
With time, support and training I became fit… enough.
Jesus is not telling this man that he is not allowed to serve.
Jesus is warning him that a person who looks back will not do well.
They are not well-placed (eu-tithemi) or suited for the challenges.
Looking backwards while plowing will result in crooked rows.
Looking backwards while running a race will lead to collisions.
I do not see Jesus refusing any of these wanna-be disciples.
He is gently, graciously showing them the challenges involved.
This is true for the men who want to settle things with their families first.
My guess is that both these men want are concerned about family honour.
Their requests are not simply about saying good-bye or funeral arrangements.
To leave the family business was a radical, family-shaming decision.
Saying good-bye to family, or funeral preparations are not a bad thing.
But for these men Jesus senses they were not ready to go all in.
And this will not work when you choose to live for love.
It helps to think of loving people as kingdom living and service.
Choosing the way of loving people will affect your family dynamics.
Being patient, being gracious, being forgiving, being generous.
Your family may question your loyalty, or maybe even your sanity.
Loving them is fine, but loving those other people too?
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:46-47)
“Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.'”
To live for God-like love, like Jesus did, is NOT normal, and NOT easy.
And your family may challenge you, or even think you are out of your mind.
Jesus willingly sacrificed His reputation and comfort for me.
And he did this knowing that as I am I am not fit for kingdom service.
There is great comfort in knowing His radical love for me.
But it is also convicting, as I reflect on my own hesitation to love.
Jesus does not disqualify me because I am not fit, but He does challenge me.
He calls me to love with, like and for Him… do I want to do this?
If my way of following Jesus is easy and normal, I need to rethink it.
If there is no sacrifice, no struggle, is it really cross-bearing?
I grew up in a tradition that put a lot of emphasis on comfort.
Is it possible that my experience of christianity was more about being comfortable?
Are there things holding me back from being more gracious, generous, forgiving?
Am I more concerned about my comfort or reputation, than about loving others?
These are personal questions that each one of us need to answer.
If we are not fit in these ways, they do not disqualify us.
But we will need to work on them, to become stronger and more fit.
With time, support and effort we can become more open to loving like Jesus.
But are we up for this, do we want to love like this that much?
Most of you reading this could also complete a triathlon.
Not as you are, but with time, support and effort.
What is holding us back from participating in Jesus’s kingdom triathlon?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, my love is lukewarm, but I want it to be hotter. I need the fire of Your Spirit to strengthen my love. May the heat of Your love melt the lead in my heart. Set my heart on fire... for loving God and others!