The crowds are growing, following Jesus, and a scribe comes up to Jesus and says, “Teacher, I’ll follow You wherever You go.” (Matt 8:18-19)

And many want to follow those who can draw a crowd. Many hope to stand on a stage and have a little of that praise and adoration fall on them too.

But Jesus tells him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matt 8:20)

“Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matt 8:21-22)

And with that, we better check our hearts. We may not be longing for the stage, but we may be distracted with life, even good things, and with what this world offers.

We better count the costs. We better understand to follow Christ is not for the half-committed who are seeking praise and comfort but for those who will willingly walk in daily dependency on the Lord for His will and His glory.

It is not easy. It will not be popular and you may, in fact, be criticized and “cancelled” for your biblical views. (Try writing something about modesty! 😳)

But those who keep following even when the world is going the other way, those who deny themselves and daily take up their crosses to follow Christ, are the ones who will see miracles.

They are the ones who find peace even in the crazy culture and the hard days.

Oh friends, let’s encourage each other to follow Him wherever we go!

readMatthew

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