Up a Hill

Have you ever noticed when you commit your life to Christ and start living your life for Him that some people in your life fall off? Or maybe you have already been living your life for Him and you are taking your ministry to the next level and even people who supported you before begin to question and speak against where you are going. This is not new, it even happened to Jesus. In Matthew 5:1-2 it says (The Message) “1 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down 2 and taught his climbing companions……”
So basically Jesus saw that he had a lot of people gathered together listening to Him so He decided to take it to the next level. He went up the hill and then those who made the climb with Him he began to teach. To me this seems to be saying that He wanted to see who would go higher with Him, who would elevate, who would just put in the extra work to follow Him. And when He went up the whole crowd did not go, only some. It also does not say that He looked to those who chose not to follow and begged and pleaded for them to come. He just went about His business.
So, everyone is not going to go the extra mile or elevate themselves in order to hear a word. Everyone will not support you as you take your ministry to a higher level. Some people are comfortable being a part of the crowd at a comfortable level.