The multitudes of people who followed Jesus had seen Him perform miracles. They’d heard Him speak in ways that held them spellbound. They realized there was something special about Him, but they needed to understand that following Him wasn’t about being entertained—truly following Him was a commitment. So Jesus was very upfront with them. And suddenly things weren’t so entertaining anymore.

When it came down to the “tough stuff” of being a disciple, they couldn’t accept it. So often this is the case with people. They’re gungho about exercise or going gluten free or breaking a bad habit, but when they discover it’s hard to make the change, they fall away and return to what they’ve done before. Later in the book of John, Jesus makes a very true statement: “In this world you will have trouble.” It isn’t easy to follow the narrow road in a world that has little respect for Jesus. We all want His blessings, but when faced with suffering for His sake, how many want to stick around? Yes, the teaching is hard. Yes, it’s a challenge to accept it. But those who are truly sold out for Jesus are the most joy-filled people I know despite trials and hardship and heartaches.

Do we follow Jesus for what He can do for us, or do we follow Him out of love, adoration, and appreciation for what He’s already done? There is a difference.