follow me:day 2
[Meditate on the disciples’response in Matthew 4.18-22. What were the ramifications?]
“At once they left their nets and followed him.” “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” So these guys left everything behind, immediately to follow Jesus. Apparently, they believed that becoming like Jesus was worth more than their financial security, they left their jobs and followed. They were willing to walk away from the things that defined them–fishing, family, etc. in order to enter into a life where they would be defined by the one that they followed. You also get the sense that they realized Jesus was offering them a chance to enter into something bigger, a life more significant. Not only does he invite them to follow him, but he ups the ante from fishing for fish to fishing for men–definitely bigger.
I have to ask myself:
Am I willing to allow myself to be completely defined by Jesus or am I still defining myself by my work, the things I can do, my relationships, my possessions, and my goals?
Am I willing to set everything aside in order to totally immerse myself in the life of Jesus?
What’s holding me back?
What is it in my life that is more important to me than being like Jesus?
Do I really believe that Jesus’ kind of life is the best life possible? Do I want to?
What are you asking? What is Jesus asking you?
I wonder if the profoundness of them leaving immediately is deeper than what they put on the line. Maybe it’s what Jesus put on the line. Let me explain. I’m not saying that their immediate response was any small thing, only that the “permanentness” of their actions should be questioned. If they followed Jesus and he turned out to be no different than the next guy, the worst case senario would probably be that their dad would be mad and they’d have wasted some time. They didn’t have much to lose in the grand scheme of things, give it a shot and if it doesn’t look to be worth it, go back to the fishing boats. But maybe the profound part is that all Jesus wanted was one shot. Only one shot to show them that this was their divine purpose. Only one shot to show them that this puzzle piece matched the space in their hearts perfectly. I don’t believe this is a shot in the dark on Jesus’ part. He’s got good aim and he knows it.