Being a follower of Jesus means that we are willing to follow wherever He leads. While we've attached expectations and conditions to that, the truth is the only two words Jesus ever said were "follow me". Not "follow me and start a worldwide ministry" or "follow me and all your problems disappear" or "follow me and you'll get a recording contract", but just "follow me". Detritich Bonfoeffer described discipleship like this:
"And what does that text inform us about the content of discipleship? Follow me, run along behind me! That is all. To follow in His steps is something which is void of all content. It gives us no intelligible programme for a way of life, no goal or ideal to strive after. It is not a cause which human calculation might deem worth of our devotion, even the devotion of ourselves. What happens? At the call, Levi leaves all that he has- but not simply because he thinks that he might be doing something worthwhile, but simply for the sake of the call. Otherwise, he cannot follow in the footsteps of Jesus." (The Cost of Discipleship, p. 58)
Do me a favor and read those last two sentences again. Levi (known to many of us as Matthew) left all he had, not for some spiritual promotion or dream destiny, but simply for the sake of the call.
Are you willing to follow for the sake of the call? Big question with far-reaching implications.
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