As Jesus was walking along the road, one man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Luke 9, 57 - 58

Dear Readers,

Did you ever wish to buy something, but the salesperson told you, "Think about it twice! The cost is higher than you think!" I cannot remember a conversation where I received such an honest advice. Unfortunately, I know the opposite: "Yes you should buy it! You have made an excellent choice!" Only after some time did I then realize that it was a bad deal.

Jesus openly tells a man the truth. He tells him that life with him can be very uncomfortable. He asks him to reconsider his decision.

But Jesus is not a salesman. He does not sell religion. He does not lure anyone with empty promises. He tells the truth because he is the truth. He does not want to seduce anyone. He does not want to force anyone to believe in him against his will. His word tells the truth to everyone who wants to hear the truth.

Jesus puts his cards openly on the table. He also clearly told other people what it costs to live with him. The following enlightenment talk in the Gospel of Luke, 14, 28-30 comes to mind. Jesus said:  “Suppose one of you wants to build a house. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Again and again, I have met people who became Christians with full enthusiasm. They hoped for much from other Christians and from God. But then they realized that their fellow Christians were also just ordinary saints. Fellow human beings with rough edges, with faults and weaknesses. They also had to experience that many prayers were not answered. They believed that God was asking too much of them. They gave up and sought their salvation from other saviors or looked for comfortable possibilities of self-realization.

Peter and the other disciples were also faced with the question one day: Stay or give up and leave? Some followers had become angry with Jesus. He said: I am the bread of life. Whoever eats this bread will live forever (John 6:47 f). Quite a few didn´t like that (John 6, 66 - 69): “From this time on, many of his disciples turned away and no longer followed him. “And what about you, do you want to leave as well?”  Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Whoever entrusts his life to the Lord Jesus Christ sets out on the journey of life at the hand of God. It becomes a pilgrimage of peace and joy. It will be a path of security and a path of comfort in all situations of life. Whoever goes through the day with Jesus Christ can pray in the evening with Psalm 4:9: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

I wish you this wonderful security on every evening. I wish you to start into the day every morning with new courage. Because you know that you are loved by God, the Father in heaven. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ today as well. His words provide vitality for each new day.