Vol. 21 No. 25 | June 24, 2019
One by one, they came to learn about Jesus, and one by one, He challenged them with an invitation: “Come. Follow me.” (John 1:35-51)
And one by one, they accepted.
Through times of confusion and clarity, doubt and faith, and fear and great courage, they followed the One who showed “abundant life” (John 10:10).
Some followed Him all the way to the cross, while others temporarily lost their way and distanced themselves.
Regardless, all of them were scrambling after His death, wondering, “now what.”
Peter, still reeling from denying the Lord, announced, “I’m going fishing.” And the others followed.
Side note: Most of us do this when we don’t know what to do; we go back to what we know and feels comfortable. I tend to pull out my journal, take a walk, or rearrange my study.
Their fishing endeavor proved unsuccessful until Jesus appeared on the shore. He revealed where the fish were and invited them to breakfast.
After the meal, Jesus engaged Peter in a momentous conversation about his future. Jesus assures him that in spite of his failures, he still has a very important role in the Kingdom.
Side note: This scene always reminds me of the many meaningful conversations our family has had sitting around the table during and after the meal.
Then Jesus repeated His invitation, except now it was a command: “Follow me.”
Peter looked around at another disciple Jesus loved and asked, “Master, what’s going to happen to him?”
I often do the same thing. As I try to live my life and fulfill my roles, I tend to look around and see what others are doing. Such comparisons are usually not very healthy or helpful, but I do it anyway. I have come to appreciate the advice from a former employer and the wisdom of a tattoo artist on a TV commercial, “Stay in your lane, bro!”
That’s basically what Jesus tells him: “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22)
You must follow me.
We can’t worry about what others do or don’t do, how they serve or don’t serve, what they have or don’t have. That’s not our job. Jesus will handle them. Our job is to follow Him.
John’s version of Jesus’s story ends with these words: “There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can’t imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.”
The invitation/command that the Lord gives us is the same as the one He gave His disciples:
You must follow me.
Those disciples (as recorded in the rest of the New Testament) became living examples of what is possible when we accept that simple challenge. And the story is amazing!
Regardless of who you are and what you do in your life, Jesus continues to extend the same invitation: Come and follow me.
Which lane will you choose?
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