Matthew 8:19, 21-22 - Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go. 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.
This might seem an odd statement, let the dead bury their own dead. What Jesus is implying here is when we choose to follow Christ, we are to separate ourselves from those who choose not to follow. If we have given our lives to Christ we have died to ourselves and through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ we have been made spiritually alive.
The reference above was for those who were now alive in Christ. We are to leave behind our old lives and old schools of thought. It might mean giving up friends, family if we have to if they reject the change in us...but not abandon them if they just don't agree or if they choose not to follow. All of those things, the things of the world, people of the world, are considered dead. A sad thought.
All are dead until Christ is acknowledged, received and followed. We are to let those who choose not to follow to their own lifestyles. It's sad though when we know that only He brings life...abundant life. Life the world cannot offer, both today and in our future. All the past is gone forever.
The time to follow, in other words, is now. Leave all other things. You alter your lifestyle even when others do not. You have new and different things on your mind; let those be in the forefront of your mind. Let your mind be on the things of God. Perhaps others will see and believe.
Luke 9:60 - Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.
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