In this passage of Scripture, we see these fishermen who were going about their daily activities. This was like any other day. These men made their living by fishing and selling those fish. This was their life every day. Suddenly, Jesus walked by as they were casting their net in the sea and told them to Follow Him. Jesus had not begun His ministry yet, and these men were not His followers at this time. Now, these men had a choice to make. They could have ignored Him and gone on with their fishing. They could have argued with Him and told Him to go away because they had work to do. They could have explained to Him that they could not follow Him because they could not leave their nets unsupervised and they had to stay there. They could have asked Him, "Follow You where? How long will we be gone? Why are we going? What are we going to do once we get there? What's in it for me?" According to this passage, they left their nets behind, and followed Him, no questions asked. In verses 21-22, those men not only left their nets, but they left their boat and their father and immediately followed Jesus. Remember, Jesus was not a public figure at this time. They had not witnessed any miracles, signs or wonders. They had not listened to His wise teachings and parables. Yet, they followed without hesitation and question. They left all to follow Him, not knowing all the whys and wherefores.
Looking through fleshly eyes, that must have been a tough thing to leave the only source of income behind to follow someone without any details. They could have taken their nets and boats and continued fishing. They could have taken the day to fish for their income. They chose to leave it all and follow Him. This took faith. They realized that He was the way, the truth and the life. They knew that if they left it all behind, that He would meet their needs as they arose and would take care of them. They left their fleshly ways behind. They left the natural way of doing things by the way side. They stepped from the natural to the supernatural by giving up their abilities and following Jesus.
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. (John 4:28-30).
Jesus was at the well in Samaria, when he met this woman who came to draw water. He began to minister to her and changed her life that day. This passage says that she left her waterpot and went to share the good news of Jesus with others. She could have taken her waterpot, gotten her water and gone her way. She could have gone back home with her water and done her daily chores. However, she realized that the natural way of getting water was not as important as Jesus the Living Water. Jesus was the most important priority in her life at that time.
We must realize that Jesus is most important in our lives. Without Him, nothing else matters. We hold on to things (attitudes, thoughts, lifestyles, habits, relationships, activites, etc) when Jesus is saying, "Follow Me". We can't follow Him still holding onto the things of the flesh. We must decide today, the world, or Jesus; the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit. We can't have both. Today is the day to choose. Will you lay down all to follow Him? Will you surrender all to obey Him?
He's coming by your way today asking you to Follow Him. What are you willing to lay down to obey Him?
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