Luke 9:62        Go For It!

I sometimes sit down and read my “red letter” version of the Bible, which has the words of Jesus in red font.  To me, Jesus’s actual words (as reported by his followers) convey much wisdom.  These words also reveal why Jesus’s use of parable was such a strong teaching tool that has resonated with so many down through the ages.

One of my favorites of these teachings is “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9:62)   To me, this passage says two things:

The first thing is, don’t take the Bible literally.  Is Jesus telling us that if we're on a tractor pulling a plow, or behind a horse or oxen plowing that we shouldn’t look back now and then to make sure the plowing is proceeding properly?  Of course not. 

The second, deeper, meaning requires some reflection.  It refers to an effort that isn’t a hasty, whimsical, adventurous, or flirtatious thing.  It’s plowing a field.  I know about plowing from my days as a farmer.  It can be meditative, but it can also be monotonous.  It requires attention, and must be done in a regular, systematic manner. It requires pre-planning and monitoring of conditions, including the state of your equipment.  Is the gear ready? It must be done when the time is right and soil conditions are favorable.  And by the way, it’s a peaceful activity!

You have made some decisions when you have decided to put your “hand to the plow.”  Jesus is telling us that if you start such an effort, go for it!