“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19)
JESUS IS STILL LOOKING for disciples. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it requires a certain amount of trust. Maybe you have seen the sign in a store: “In God we trust; all others pay cash.” Or the sign in the Atlanta Police Department: “In God we trust; others we polygraph.”
The disciples trusted Jesus enough to follow Him. John and Andrew had met Him earlier. Andrew found his brother Peter, told him, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41), and then introduced Peter to Jesus.
When Jesus calls us to follow Him, He appeals to our loyalty. Some reason their way into Christianity, carefully thinking through the options, and deciding this way of life makes more sense than any other. But many of us are captivated by the person of Jesus Christ and we follow because we trust Him.
Following Jesus also requires us to be teachable. What kind of people followed Him? Most had no social status or prestige. They were neither the bravest nor the easiest coworkers. Peter was impulsive and headstrong. Andrew was homespun and supportive. James and John were ambitious and competitive. Their nickname was “sons of thunder.” They were unschooled and unsophisticated. But they were willing to learn.
So regardless of your status in life, if you are willing to learn and are ready to trust Him, you can follow Jesus.
Determine whom God is encouraging you to help become His disciple.
Ron McClung works at his denomination’s world headquarters and lives in Indiana with his wife, Carol. They have two sons and nine grandchildren.
