As Jesus travelled to Jerusalem, three men sought to accompany Him. However, they failed to understand that this journey was also a journey for life, to be undertaken not only by Jesus and His disciples and themselves, but, also by us all today.

In these verses, the point Luke makes is that such a journey, for the perfect service of God when He calls, is difficult and should be understaken with full knowledge, with a sense of urgency, and most importantly, with perseverance. The three men could not give a prompt and final commitment because they were too attached to family life and could not forego comfortable homes, moral obligations to look after the family, and their own emotional need of family.

Family life in itself is not condemned here. Rather, it is the inability to exchange what is comfortable physically and emotionally for an immediate commitment to God as and when He demands it.

This kind of responsible and responsive service of God is what one sees in Nehemiah's actions. Nehemiah was prepared to give up an exalted position as a trusted servant of the King of Persia when he knew God needed him, not just to provide a wall and bricks and mortar for the city of Jerusalem, but also for his role as leader, encouraging and re-building His people as a nation of God's. For this, he was prepared to risk the ire of his king and make the sacrifice of his life.