Have you ever found yourself longing for your own bed while away on a long trip? After a few nights at Aunt Ginny’s, returning home can feel nothing short of a life-reset. But our modern homes aren’t just where we sleep – they are personally-designed sanctuaries that give us solace from the wilds of the world. We fill them up with custom creature comforts to make us feel “just right”. Home sweet home.
It’s notable that Jesus puts his finger on the topic of home when speaking of discipleship.
Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Luke 9:57-58 NKJV
No doubt this was a splash of cold water to this would-be disciple’s face. Essentially, the Master seems to be telling this man that if he’s going to follow, he can’t be a homebody1.
How should we respond to this? Maybe the right path is to become a minimalist or a monk wandering the earth in sandals. I mean, Jesus didn’t even own a pillow, right? Perhaps if we had less things, we would find ourselves more spiritual. While there may be some truth in that statement, there’s more to it than that.
Jesus himself seemed perfectly OK with being home-less while on earth. He didn’t have his own cozy bed and he didn’t spend his time longing for one either. So why did he choose to live this way? Why not settle down? Well, Jesus knew when he left his home in heaven he was going on a long trip. For his entire life. That meant he slept in some strange places. That meant he went to some uncomfortable places. The bottom line is that Jesus was at home not in a place but rather in a purpose. That purpose was his Father’s will.
Homes are wonderful. But our love for them can keep us from God’s great purposes. It is entirely possible that the comfort + convenience + familiarity of our homes add up to become an immobilizing anchor on our lives. If we are truly interested in following Jesus, we must be willing to follow wherever he may go. We will need to keep on our feet. We can’t settle for being homebodies.
Reflection
- Does your desire to stay home ever prevent you from serving others?
- When is the last time you went mobile for Jesus?
Footnote
- /ˈhōmˌbädē/ a person who likes to stay at home, especially one who is perceived as unadventurous. ↩︎