Few of Jesus’ disciples (out of 12) were fisher men. When Jesus asked them to follow him, bible says all of them left their nets and boats and followed Jesus.
When Jesus called these fisher men, they had to make a choice and the choice costed them everything. By calling these men to leave their boats, Jesus was calling them to abandon their careers.When He called them to leave their nets, He was calling them to abandon their possessions. When He called them to leave their father in the boat by himself, He was calling them to abandon their family and friends. Ultimately, Jesus was calling them to abandon themselves. When Jesus called them, Jesus didn’t promise to make them a preacher, teacher, miracle worker, Rich or famous. The call was very clear “I am calling you so that you would call many to the kingdom of God as I am doing”. Following Christ is a mandatory step if anyone wants to fulfil the calling or the purpose of God in their life.
With this I am not saying we all required to leave our father and occupation to follow Jesus as peter, Andrew, john and others did; But we must give Jesus the topmost priority than everything else and He must be Centre of our life. We must give God the complete control over our life and every choice we make. If any one of us truly wanted to be God’s children then we must be ready to follow Jesus in everything. Jesus is an example for us in our everyday affairs of life. Following Jesus entails leaving many things that we have hold on to and grabbing every good. Following Jesus means stop following everything that doesn’t benefit in our walk with Christ.
As I said we may not be called to leave everything as these 12 disciples did, then how are we expected to follow Jesus? God is looking at willingness of our hearts and to leave everything for the sake of kingdom of God, if Jesus demand it. Are we willing to do that? Is it a scary thought? The fact of the matter is we must be willing to give up everything that are becoming a hindrance to follow Jesus Christ.
Following Jesus means obeying every commandment of the Lord, willingness to carry the cross and to die to the sin to be alive to God. Following Jesus begins only when we respond to his call to repent and believe in the gospel. God has called us so that we would be partakes of the greatest promise of eternity. When Jesus called these men, it wasn’t another Jewish leader or another good teacher calling them; it was the son of God the creator of all. How privileged are we to be called by this God the creator of the universe? How blessed are we to follow our Lord and saviour Jesus?