Follow Me 

 “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”

Immediately they left their nets and followed.

Matthew 4:19-20 

          The Gospels are elegant in their simplicity, but sometimes their economy of words can be frustrating. When Jesus asked Peter and Andrew, James and John to drop what they were doing and follow him – they did.  Just like that they turned on a dime.  There has to be more to the story. Something else must have been said. People don’t just quit their jobs like that and begin a new spiritual journey.  Or do they? 

          Sometimes they do. Seminaries are filled with “second career” folks who left lucrative positions to prepare for a ministry that will never pay them what they used to make. When you ask them, “Why”, there is always more to the story. Long before they made the decision God had been working in their lives – preparing them for that pivotal moment. 

What probably wasn’t described in the gospel account was the Spirit prompting Peter to look for deeper meaning and greater hope.  He would not have dropped his nets and followed Jesus had he not already been thinking that there must be something more to life than what he was experiencing.  He would not have followed Jesus had he not some idea that Jesus might be able to lead him to what he was looking for. 

          In those beginning days with Jesus, Peter just followed his “gut”.  He had no theology of Christ, of who Jesus really was and what God was calling him to do. Still, deep inside he knew that the important answers to life’s questions only come from God and Jesus seemed nearer to God than anyone he knew. So, he dropped his net and followed.  I doubt he thought this would lead to a permanent career change.  Even after Jesus’ resurrection we find Peter back at the nets. But, he was willing to put down the nets for a little while so that he could attend to the matters of the soul. 

If there’s a lesson for us in that story – this is it. Sometimes we have to drop our nets if only for a Sabbath’s rest and worship on a Sunday morning to make time to attend to the matters of the soul.  Faith is a day-by-day journey.  Life situation and circumstance calls to make the choice to follow Jesus again and again. The words of the old hymn remind us:

“I have decided to follow Jesus;

I have decided to follow Jesus,

I have decided to follow Jesus,

no turning back, no turning back.” 

Lord, the poet once wrote, “Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the road less traveled – and that has made all the difference.” So does the decision I make to follow you. Keep me on the narrow path I pray in the name and through the power of Christ.  Amen.