We left Elijah toward the end of 1 Kings 19 with a list of people to see: Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. He finds Elisha first:

Elijah went straight out and found Elisha son of Shaphat in a field where there were twelve pairs of yoked oxen at work plowing; Elisha was in charge of the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha deserted the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please! Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye—then I’ll follow you.” “Go ahead,” said Elijah, “but, mind you, don’t forget what I’ve just done to you.” (1 Kings 19.19, 20, MSG)

It’s an interesting exchange. “Elijah…threw his cloak over him” must have been a “follow me” call, and Elisha responds with “Let me kiss my father and mother good-bye…” Someone tried that with Jesus:

Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

The interpretation I’ve heard all my life of Jesus’ response is that “the plow” is the work of the kingdom, and you shouldn’t start the work while looking back at what you’ve left behind. After all, when you plow, you must look forward. That works as an interpretation and application, but what if “the plow” is just the plow? Look at Elisha’s response:

So Elisha left; he took his yoke of oxen and butchered them. He made a fire with the plow and tackle and then boiled the meat—a true farewell meal for the family. Then he left and followed Elijah, becoming his right-hand man. (1 Kings 19.21, MSG)

In other words, don’t keep your hand on the plow while you “look back” at the work of the Kingdom you’ve been called to. Butcher the oxen! Burn the plow! Throw a farewell party and go!

Immediately they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4.20, ESV)

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him [leaving the tax booth behind]. (Matthew 9.9, ESV)