When I was a kid I used to think the verse of Matthew 8:22 was harsh.

Here a person was telling Jesus he wanted to follow Him, but he wanted to bury his father. And Jesus essentially says, “Let them do it themselves.” Or, “Let someone else worry about it.”

At least that’s what I thought Jesus was saying. But that’s really not it.

Jesus isn’t being insensitive or hard-hearted. He also isn’t encouraging a person to disrespect his parents. What Jesus is saying here is that we can’t have it both ways. We can’t pick and choose which of Christ’s commands we obey and which ones we don’t. It’s an all or nothing lifestyle. Being a Christian isn’t just something you do — it’s who you become.

When Jesus says looking back makes us unfit for God’s Kingdom, He is saying that we have to choose. As my Grandpa would say, we have to be on one side of the fence or the other.

Instead of looking back, let’s look forward to all the wonderful blessings God wants to give!