Don't look behind you.

Luke 9:62 But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."

I have never walked behind a plow in a field. While for most of us those days are a thing of the past, most us understand what it means to plow a field with a plow. It is not an easy way to farm a field. The going could be really tough. If the ground was hard, it would make the task even harder. In order to make progress, one would have to keep moving forward regardless of how hard it was. One would have to look at the bigger picture and be willing to sacrifice momentary comforts for the bigger picture. Plowing a field is always tough and sometimes the reward for the labor was not very big. Plowing a field was a necessary part of producing a crop. Yet, there was no guarantee that one would see the fruit of his labors.

When plowing a field, one must constantly be looking forward all the time. If you look back at where you have been, you would most likely get off track. Instead of accomplishing one's goal, a mess is usually created. Things might be so messed up that one may have to do things over again. Looking behind you prevents you from seeing what is ahead of you. Looking behind you can give you a false sense of what you have achieved. Looking behind you can cause you to be less diligent in your pursuit of what is ahead of you.

The Kingdom of God is for those who keep their eyes fixed on Jesus. It is for those who are pressing on no matter how rough it may get. It is for those who never lose sight of where they are going and who are doing all they can do to finish life strong. It is for those who persevere and do not give up when they are tired or when the going gets tough.

Forget what is behind you. Don't look back at where you have been. Don't pine for whatever is back there. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of salvation and you will not only see God, you will be rewarded with much fruit for your labors.