These startling words are found in Luke 9:61 where a fella has decided to pick up and follow Jesus. But he wants to go say "so long" to his friends. Jesus answered with: "No one who puts their hand to the plow looks back."
At first that seems like a harsh, inflexible retort to the guy. However, within the culture of the day, to say goodbye meant more than it does now. First, you had to go to each friend or family member and explain what you were about to do. Then, each one of them would request a few days to work through the goodbye...that might include a few going away feasts. All in all, one might be looking at a period of up to six months (maybe longer) before the actual 'leaving' could happen. Jesus would have been long gone by then....the guy would have missed the boat....the ship would have left port....the gate would have been closed...and so on and so forth.
The problem has more to do with the risk involved in following. You see, to follow Jesus means a complete life-change. Look at Peter and Andrew, James and John; they had to leave their livelihood of fishing. They left their father holding the bag...or net in that case. Can you imagine the look on their dad's face when they told him the news at the wharf? "Well, sorry pop....no party or anything! This is the Messiah and we gotta go right now. We'll stop in for a fishing trip when we pass this way again. Say BYE to mom!" Whoa... That was a real and genuine example of what it means to take the risk of following. Not that fishing was a high income experience for Galileans, but man...they were going to follow a dude that had no visible means of supporting their habit...of eating! Later on we see that a group of special women followed in the crowd and paid the way...evidently women with bank accounts. Imagine a crusty Jewish man being supported by a woman in that culture!
Talk about risk!
Change is hard. We get attached to the way things are, even if the way things are isn't the best or ideal. We bump up to a point in our spiritual lives where the Lord challenges us to take a step into the unknown and risky, and we back off for fear of....whatever. The fears always, I repeat: ALWAYS turn out to be bogus, but we tend to be ruled by them nonetheless.
What's the answer? Not really sure...sorry to lead you this far and drop you, but I have no concrete solution to the dilemma. However, I do have a couple of ideas that seem to work for me, though I tend to be more maverick in nature and enjoy taking risks from time to time. First, we have to develop a new habit. Yep..a habit. Start small and keep it up. Take the first small step into risk, then keep doing it. Like what, you ask? Well, maybe no one around you has yet to lift up holy hands in worship and neither have you. It's a risk...according to a fear called inhibition. But try it a few times. Forget about the good folks around you and focus on obeying the Word....because it says "Lift up holy hands to the Lord." Same goes for a shout now and then...at the right moment of course. What about going deeper into worship before the Throne? Same thing: start small and make it a habit. This goes for anything and everything with God.
Second, convince yourself that FEAR is a big fat liar! If it isn't eating at you, it is convincing you to bury yourself in your inability to change. Listen...RISK can be fun! It is exhilarating, exciting, adrenaline producing, addictive, and almost always produces a result that is opposite from what your fear convinced you would happen. No, don't jump off a cliff and get excited about hitting the bottom. Rather, put on a parachute and jump out of a perfectly good plane while attached to an instructor. Or, close your eyes before you lift up your hands in worship so you don't have to worry about someone else's reaction. Don't worry about doing a Billy Graham thing of preaching to a billion, just talk to that one who is hurting and needs a word of encouragement from someone who really has life. Then, make a habit of it.
No more... "I will Follow You, BUT...." Just do it:-) Try it!
Pastor Jim
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