I was reading in Luke 9 when Jesus cleansed a man who was possessed by many demons. Jesus and the disciples found him after they had crossed the Galilean Sea. It seems that Jesus was looking particularly for him. Remember early in Luke 4. Jesus said he is fulfilling the passages in Isaiah about healing. Jesus was searching for men and women to heal.
Thus Jesus did his thing. Jesus exorcised the demons from the man and allowed them to enter pigs that were nearby. The man became very thankful and wanted to follow Jesus. But Jesus left him. Why? Jesus told him to go back home and tell everyone of the good things that Jesus has done.
In this context, Jesus did not allow this man to follow him to the other side of the Galilean Sea because He wanted the man to testify in that region. He wanted that man to be a testimony for his own city.
As you can see the people of the region did not like Jesus. They told him to leave. Most likely because they lost all their pigs due to the exorcism. Maybe they thought Jesus was the head demon because the once demonized man was bowing to him.
Either way, the people did not appreciate what Jesus had done for one of their own since it was at the expense of their pigs. But Jesus left that man there to tell them that there is more to life than pigs.
How do you see life? Do you put more value in pigs rather than in those with the image of God, the Imago Deo?
The Contenders 
Interesting questions you have closed the post with. Makes one reflect over their life more sternly. Thanks for this post.