“Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:19,20). “But He gave up His place with God and made Himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant” (Philippians 2:7). “We through His poverty are made rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
One of the most elusive animals in our neighborhood is the fox. They find shelter along the old hedge row across from our house where we periodically see one darting across the field. They have a very distinctive bark (listen here for a 10 second video) and at times can be heard all the way across the other side of the large field recently harvested. It’s just one of the many interesting sounds of the country. 
I took a photo of the fox hole to the left. As I approached it I heard a loud barking sound from the field and looked to see an adult fox running off through the field. I assume she was the mother who was threatened by my presence and perhaps the pups were tucked away safely in their den. I tried to stir them but to no avail.
The fox hole calls to mind the first daily verse. I don’t recall ever specifically trying to memorize it but when you see a fox hole this verse pops into your mind!Jesus used the illustration to reinforce the seriousness and cost of discipleship.
A scribe (religious leader) had come to Him and said, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” Our Lord tests the sincerity of the scribe’s level of commitment by warning him that He was so poor that beasts of the fields and birds of the air have nicer accommodations than He Himself had. “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
The point seems to be that if the popular leader fared so badly, what was the follower to expect? How great was the humiliation of our Lord and King! He had no royal palace, no silken canopy. He who created the universe and provides for the needs of His human creation had no family looking for Him at the end of the day with a warm meal sitting on the dining table, not because of their unwillingness but out of compassion He chose to go to the hurting, lonely, and sin-sick people in far away places. No memory foam pillow or select comfort mattress to comfortably lay at bedtime.
Jesus’ statement reveals His poverty from an earthly viewpoint; and yet “we through His poverty are made rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). We are not told if the scribe chose to follow Jesus after this outright disclosure; but the strong implication is that he did not. Perhaps, like the rich young ruler, he found the conditions too rigorous, nothing warm and fuzzy about Jesus’ living conditions. No bonus provided or awards banquet guaranteed if the scribe converted a certain number of souls to the kingdom. No pension fund thrown into the offer.
We who follow Jesus must do so without ulterior motive. In fact we must be willing to die to selfish ambition and vain conceits if we are to follow Christ in the humility which pleases Him. Are we willing to do so today?
Be encouraged today!
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
