It seemed like a reasonable request, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”  One may assume that Jesus, in His gentle and loving fashion, would have sympathized with this fellow and permitted him to take care of his situation at home; but not so.  On the contrary, the reply seemed rather harsh, “Let the dead bury the dead.”  Those were the words spoken by Christ to the second man in the ninth chapter of Luke.  Why does it seem like Jesus was being inconsiderate to this man’s plea?

     Notice the word “first.”  This man was not saying “no” in following Jesus; he was saying “not now.”  There were more important things at home-let me first go and bury my father.     The text never says the man’s father was dead; it just implies that at some point his father needed to be buried.  More than likely, he was waiting on his father to pass.  In Hebrew culture, when someone passes away, there is a two-week mourning process. In addition to the two weeks, it takes another two to three weeks to divide the estate or the inheritance.  In essence, this man decided that following Christ would have to wait until a more convenient, and perhaps more affordable, time.  Unfortunately, his good intentions did not equate into reality.  Such is the case for many believers.  What is “first” in your life?  What keeps you from following Christ whenever?