“Follow me.”
It is hard to imagine how these words rested on the ears of each person who looked into the eyes of Jesus and were truly and magnificently seen for the first time. For the Jewish men who heard this call, they had already missed out on following a Rabbi and took on their family trades. For the women who heard the call, they never had an opportunity to follow a Rabbi. The one thing most every Jew had in common at the time of Christ was expectation. They were all expecting the Messiah to arrive and bring liberation and healing to their people.
There was a wild man out in the desert. A prophet type, calling God’s people to repentance, especially the religious leaders. He had fire in his speech, but he gave hope that the One was coming. He kept quoting Isaiah 40:3 to respond to questions of his identity, “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’” Talk of the coming Messiah was on everyone’s lips.
“Follow me.”
There is an excitement of expectation in the air. Your people have been waiting for liberation for hundreds of years and it is finally coming in your lifetime. It’s all you can think about as you wash your fishing nets. It consumes your mind as you receive taxes from your people on behalf of the Romans. As you go about your daily life, your heart is full of expectation that God is about to do something. One day you look up from what you are doing, and you catch eyes with the one they call Jesus. His eyes are filled with earnest compassion, joy, and love. He sees you in a way that no one else has, the true you. He sees you in a way that you’ve never fully seen yourself. He then extends the invitation that catches you off guard and has potential to change your life.
“Follow me.”
For the men who received this invitation, they had missed the opportunity to follow a Rabbi and had to move into the family business or some other kind of trade. They were far from the best and brightest, so they were not acceptable for learning from a Rabbi. For the women who received the invitation, they never were given the opportunity to learn from a Rabbi. Why me? I’m not “following” worthy. I have a spotted past. I am an ignorant day laborer. I’m a terrorist. All my countrymen hate me because I sold out to the Romans. I am a woman. All the excuses rise to the surface at the invitation. But he continues to look at you with compassion, joy, love, and friendship.
“Follow me.”
Where were you when you heard this call for the first time? I remember the first time I came to belief. I don’t remember the first time I heard the invitation to follow Jesus, but I remember the many times that have come after. Jesus wants you to follow him. There are times I’ve settled for believing in him and going on about my life. I don’t know how many times I’ve missed Christ’s call to follow him, to walk with him, to live like he lived in his interactions with others.
Start each day with prayer asking God to help you see yourself as he sees you then ask for your eyes and ears will be open to hear the invitation of Jesus, “follow me” as you go about your day.
For your reflection – “Jesus invites me to follow him every time…”
I am tempted to get angry over people’s opinions.
I want to respond to hate with anything but love.
I fail to see the struggle of others with compassion.
I am too quick to speak and too slow to listen.
When I build walls between me and others rather than bridges.
When I hand my peace and security to worldly power.
What would you add to this list to help you pay attention to Jesus’s invitation?