Thursday, January 13
As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Him.
—Mark 2:14
continued from January 12
No matter what the circumstances, it is not easy for any of us to take up change in our daily lives, especially radical change. Archie Bunker once said, "Things were better when they were the same." Funny, but not so funny. We feel secure when things around us are familiar, routine, the same. Change is difficult for most of us. And to get up and follow in the steps of Him who brings the greatest of changes—that is a tough one.
We are fortunate. In our situation, we can get up and follow Him and still have a family, job, friends. What changes is our inner life. Instead of being on the defensive and protecting our life, Jesus calls us to be on the offensive—with love and trust. For us in this day to "get up and follow Him" is to open our heart, to believe that He is there with us, and to walk in the steps that seem to be the ones where He is leading.
That may mean saving love instead of saving face. It may mean loving people and using things—instead of loving things and using people. It means lots of change, but very much for the better and for the peace of our souls.
Jesus was gathering quite a team. Earlier he had called a leper to follow*, then a paralytic, and now a tax collector! If Jesus were running for public office, he ought to have been more careful about the company he kept. The needy aren't always clean or respectable,* but Jesus has a higher mission than popularity: "to proclaim freedom to the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and to heal the brokenhearted" (Luke 4:18). "Get up," he said, "and follow me."
*borrowed from Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries
I want to follow, Lord. Show me how. Amen.
These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2007.
