Leave All and Follow

The article discussed how Christ, in calling His disciples, did not always call the wisest, the richest and the best. In the eyes of man, he perhaps chose the worst he ever could when He called to follow Him a bunch of fishermen, uneducated, untrained, untalented, in the world’s eye perhaps, and poor. They were jealous, hot headed, impetuous and self important men, all of them in different ways, and through different struggles.

Yet it was these same men that later turned the world upside down with their faithfulness and devotion. God saw beyond their outward appearances, beyond the struggles, to who they could and would be by His grace. He saw what no man could see–a willing heart. He saw hearts, that in spite of struggle and failures and pain, were willing to go anywhere, do anything for Him. Hearts that He could change by His power, because they were willing. And that was a qualification above all others.

As the author of that post said, “How foolish to discount their one credential: being willing to leave everything and follow Him. How few of us can meet that qualification.”

God sees what our human eyes cannot see. He has given to each one of us our work. He has called each of us in different ways. He can change each one of us, and we all can do great things for Him, through His strength. But, are we willing?

I’ve wondered before if one of the reasons that Christ could work such change in the lives of these men was because they weren’t “wise” by the standard of the world, and they knew it. They were simple enough to hear His call, and respond without taking the time to watch, and weigh and try to figure out whether it was ‘worth it or not’. They heard, and believed.

And I wonder if it isn’t why, often our ‘greatest accomplishments’ are those that we do when we finally realize that we cannot do it, that we don’t have what it takes, yet we feel His calling and we step forward, tremblingly, perhaps, but we take that step in faith to leave behind us what seems safe and secure and wise in the sight of man for the calling that He has set before us.

It’s true, that like those disciples, we may loose sight of our first calling, and may try to do things in our own way and time. But it’s where our heart is. Are we willing to be broken, like Peter, and go on to trust Him more, realizing in a deeper way our weakeness, or will we be offended, and turn away from the calling?

We desperately need what they had. And it starts with being willing, right now, to answer His call, whenever, however He calls.

Yes…may we truly leave all, and follow.