The One Who Calls

It must have been just another day at the family business, catching fish, and a voice breaks through the lapping waters with the command to follow Him. No context, no explanation, no résumé. I wonder, did their hearts skip a beat when The One who spoke all things into existence called for them? Or were they simply honored to be called to be a student (disciple) of a teacher, instead of lowly fisherman?

Whatever the case, we see Jesus as one who calls. He steps into people's lives and extends the greatest invitation eternally beyond what they, or we, can comprehend.

Jesus tells these initial disciples that He will upgrade their occupation beyond their father's work to His Father's work, from gathering fish, to gathering people. Their response reveals something about Jesus. When they dropped their nets and went after Him, they believed that following Him was more worthwhile than their occupation, financial security, and plans for the future. They saw Christ's invitation to follow Him as a better future and life than they had built themselves—someone worth giving everything up for.

This decision wasn't prolonged. It was immediate. They heard the call and responded. They saw that Jesus is worthy of dropping everything.

Jesus desires us to take up the calling to be fishers of men and to bring others into His Kingdom. He desires us to follow Him and respond quickly without delay, like these initial disciples.

But we are not fishermen (most of us). And Jesus isn't physically on the shore shouting to us. So how do we respond to His call to "follow Me"? He is not here in flesh and bone, so we follow differently. But, nonetheless, we leave things behind. We give up our own way, our own priorities, and even our own life. We then cling to Him by following His teachings and the life found in scripture and the Holy Spirit.

So what does it mean to be a fisher of men? Jesus didn't come to reign in business, but in people's hearts. People are the most valuable and irreplaceable thing on this earth. And Christ cares for people. He cares for us. He cares for you. You are His desire. And He desires all those made in His image would also follow Him. Jesus desires that we tell and gather others into His Kingdom.

Like these initial disciples, following Jesus will change your life and others' lives for all eternity. Are you willing to let go of everything else to be with Him?