As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62 NASB)
Our hearts are the source of sin (Jer. 17:9) and likewise must be the place for life-change to take place. In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus reveals three heart issues that true disciples must confront. These are difficult issues to address because they contradict the secular ways of the world. First, a disciple must be willing to give up what others consider necessities, just as Christ did in coming to earth as man (2 Cor. 8:9). A disciple’s heart should focus on heavenly rewards rather than material things. Second, a disciple must make Christ the priority. Disciples don’t make excuses to deter them from their duties. A disciple’s heart is disciplined, focused, and guided by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 1:15, 16). Finally, a disciple must “put on” Christ and abandon the tug of the old sinful nature. A disciple’s heart is fully committed to God and doesn’t look back as Lot’s wife did to Sodom. Whatever rules our hearts will determine our actions and attitudes. Christ must be supreme in the heart of a disciple. What rules your heart?
