Let The Dead Bury The Dead

When Jesus said to a man, “Follow me”, the man’s immediate response was to back out of the request and to go in the opposite direction. The man’s reply of “Lord, first let me go and bury my father” didn’t mean that his father was already dead. His father was probably near death and he wanted to remain by his side until that day came. This man may have wanted to fulfill his duty to bury his father. He simply was avoiding the request and didn’t see the importance of following Jesus.

After the man spoke, Jesus responded, “let the dead bury their own dead.” Wait…how is that even possible? How can a dead person bury another dead person? Jesus was simply referring to those who are spiritually dead. These people will not put God first and will chose everything else instead. In fact, the dead-in-spirit are so busy digging and burying, their piles of distractions begin to grow causing separation from each other as illustrated with the dirt pile in this Christian cartoon.

But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” – Matthew 8:22

When Jesus tells us to move, why do we make it so difficult? Why do most of us constantly make up excuses to stall or go the other way? For those that believe and even those that do not, the Lord is calling. He calls on every single one of us to follow Him and to go and proclaim the kingdom of God. This may come in a form of doing something for your church, praying with someone else, or even sharing the Good News to someone that needs to hear it.

Don’t neglect His high spiritual calling!