When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side. A scribe approached and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." Another of (his) disciples said to him, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father." But Jesus answered him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead." (Mt 8:18-22)
Scribe was not belonging to his group. He was an outsider (not his disciple), but wanted to be his follower. His desire to follow him was so great that he was ready to go to any length. Jesus challenged him. The scribe was willing with “wherever” but Jesus challenged him with “nowhere”. So following Jesus is not to a distant place but following the person JESUS.
This time a disciple of Jesus asked for a short break from following him and that was in fact to do his duty as a son. Following does not permit any break though it may be a justifiable one. Following Jesus has to be a continuous one without any break. No other relationship should enter in to disrupt the relationship that exists between Jesus and his follower.
Following Jesus does not carry with it any other obligation. No ideology, no person, no relationship, no distance, no space, no time could come in between Jesus and his follower. Follower has to be with Jesus.
