The following Sunday school song excerpt is very interesting: “Following Jesus is my decision, following Jesus is my decision, I am not afraid, I am not afraid.” Following Jesus for life is a necessity for us His people, but why must there be a statement “I am not afraid”? Are there things in the process of following Him that can make us afraid? Of course there are, and we often encounter them in our pilgrimage of faith. Becoming His disciple and following His example is a winding process. Especially if the journey in following Him must lead us to a process of constant self-denial. So in the end, determination is needed to continue to be able to follow Him for the rest of our lives.

Let us examine the text at this time, starting from verse 19 when a scribe asked Jesus, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” This question was asked when Jesus was about to go to the other side. The word “other side” in the understanding of the people at that time referred to the territory of non-Israelites. His ministry reached everyone, even to those who were not Israelites. This brings endless possibilities and challenges. It is not the warm welcome that is often received, but rejection and various other inconveniences. While it must be admitted that so far the people who follow Jesus everywhere are only crowds who are fixated on His miracles and even want to experience them themselves. Will they really follow Him if they will encounter various challenges?

That is Jesus's response to the question of the scribes. Following Jesus means the determination to leave worldly attachments by devoting oneself completely to Jesus who does not even have a place to shelter. Other people then asked Jesus for permission to bury their father first before following Him. At that time, the burial process consisted of several stages as part of the customs of that time. To this question, Jesus responded by conveying a challenge that everyone who follows Him must prioritize His will alone. In fact, following Jesus should not be postponed for any reason. His will is first and foremost.

Are we ready to truly follow Him? This is what we should be contemplating right now. Sometimes our hearts are still two-faced. On the one hand, we want to follow Him wholeheartedly, but on the other hand, we are often tempted to make life choices that are contrary to His will. So let us once again reaffirm our commitment to Him. Following God is part of a lifelong commitment that is always refreshed through a series of processes throughout our lives. So may the Holy Spirit help us to always follow God in all of our existence and the dynamics of life that we experience every day.