NOVEMBER 10, 2014
The
Honor Of Following
Read: Matthew 4:18-22
Then [Jesus] said to them, “Follow Me.” —Matthew 4:19
While visiting Jerusalem, a friend of mine saw
an old rabbi walking past the Wailing Wall. The interesting thing about the
aged rabbi was the five young men walking behind him. They too were walking
bent over, limping—just like their rabbi. An Orthodox Jew watching them would
know exactly why they were imitating their teacher. They were “followers.”
Throughout the history of Judaism, one of the
most honored positions for a Jewish man was the privilege of becoming a
“follower” of the local rabbi. Followers sat at the rabbi’s feet as he taught.
They would study his words and watch how he acted and reacted to life and
others. A follower would count it the highest honor to serve his rabbi in even
the most menial tasks. And, because they admired their rabbi, they were
determined to become like him.
When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him (Matt. 4:19), it
was an invitation to be changed by Him, to become like Him, and to share His
passion for those who need a Savior. The high honor of being His follower should
show in our lives as well. We too have been called to catch the attention of
the watching world as we talk, think, and act just like Jesus—the rabbi, the
teacher, of our souls.
Thank You, Lord, for the high honor of being
called to follow You. May my life so imitate
You that others will know that You are the
pursuit of my life and the rabbi of my soul.
Follow Jesus and let the world know He is your
rabbi.
Insight
In the region surrounding the Sea of Galilee in the first
century, fishing was one of the primary industries. This fishing normally took
place at night, with the laborious task of casting weighted fishing nets and
then hauling them back in. Fishing was not an easy occupation, but it did
provide a decent living and, as seen in today’s text, was often operated as a
family business. Here, two brothers, Peter and Andrew, worked together (v.18),
as did James, John, and their father (v.21). In this case, however, these two
families also had a partnership in their fishing business, as recorded in Luke
5:10. Jesus used this partnership to His advantage in calling these four men as
disciples.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012