Jesus’ teaching is hard and challenging. In fact, many who originally believed in him left and returned to their former way of life. They were not able to accept what he had to say or to make the changes that are necessary to conform their lives to the Gospel. We often water down our faith and make it more about securing our place in heaven than leading a life in pursuit of the kingdom of God. Following Jesus and living the Gospel require action now. The Gospel demands that we change the way we conduct the business of our lives. Sadly, many are still afraid of taking risks and cannot accept change. Are we really ready to venture forth into the unknown, or would we prefer to simply return to our old ways of doing things?