The Grands Letter (Luke/GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on May 18, 2026 4:42 am (CST)
Dear Grands,
Luke 9:57-62, “As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’
58 And Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’
59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Decisions require severe investigation. Years ago, prior to my affiliation with the Arkansas Civil Air Patrol, I had to understand the responsibilities of affiliation. You didn’t just walk in and say, “I’d like to join.” There are standards that members are required to know and adhere to.
The qualifications for becoming affiliated with Jesus’ group were pretty stiff, too. The men cited in the verses above very quickly learned that there were indeed some hardships. Comfortable accommodations for living were often non-existent. Animals readily found accommodation, but Jesus and His followers often just rested and slept outdoors in the open air. In fact, Jesus’ earliest accommodation as a newborn child was in an animal manger.
Due to the responsibilities of the connection with Jesus, parents, loved ones, and friends were often neglected without prior warning. Important family matters were delayed or completely pushed aside in deference to the work found in the ministry of Jesus. It gave promise to no easy road.
Strangely enough, accommodation today is quite similar. Families leave loved ones for far-away mission fields. It’s not easy on either group. Those on the home front send money and provisions, yet provisions are often shared with native people, who have needs too great to ignore. Be thankful for what you have! And be ready to share with those who have even less. It’s not easy!
Heartily in Christ,
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
United States of America
“We will never know that Christ is all we need, until He becomes all that we have.” –Corrie ten Boom
