Follow Me

"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him."
-- Matthew 9:9

I remember, from my carefree youth, times when a bunch of us grade school buddies would gather. Someone would invariably shout out "C'mon, guys! Follow me!", and off we'd go. Whether to the playground swings, into town for a movie, or through the woods for some wondrous adventure, we would gleefully follow the leader with expectations of great fun and new discoveries. We seldom worried about hidden risks, associated costs, future demands, or even our own worthiness to follow along with the gang. We joyfully fell in line for we knew great things lay ahead.

During a very busy span of days, Jesus went from place to place healing the ill and infirm, driving out demons, and teaching and preaching to those who needed to hear His word, He happened by a tax collector's office. He spoke to the man sitting behind the counter and said simply, "Follow me.", and the man arose and followed his new leader. Matthew joyfully fell in line behind Jesus, for he somehow knew that great things lay ahead.

The records of the Gospel hold no shorter command given by our Savior. Two simple words, ones we once jumped at the chance to obey. "Follow me." Why do we find it so difficult to do so now that we are older? Because we have a better understanding of the risks, the costs, the demands of being a Christian? Members of the early church suffered greatly at the hands of those who would not believe. Even today, Christians worldwide face persecution and death for their belief. But Matthew recorded the words Jesus spoke when he gathered His disciples by His side and taught them: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12) So as rational, thinking adults, we should easily be able to do a quick mental calculation and see that the rewards, namely eternal life in heaven, far outweigh the risks of insult, persecution, injury, or even the end of this life on earth. For great is our reward in heaven, if we only follow.

Perhaps we don't feel worthy to even attempt to follow in Christ's footsteps. We don't have a couple of hundred Bible verses memorized and ready to employ when the occasion arises. We fail to tithe on a regular basis, or even attend church each and every Sunday. We don't understand everything we've read and been told about God. We don't even know how to pray correctly. There are any number of excuses we could come up with, but excuses they would still be regardless of quantity. Jesus walked up to a tax collector, one of the most reviled class of people during those times. He did not ask Matthew to recite verses, to donate a portion of his wealth, or even to lead a prayer. He asked for no credentials at all! He looked the man in the heart and said "Follow me", and he arose and followed Christ. If Matthew felt himself unworthy, it certainly did not slow him down. The Gospel makes no mention of hesitation or deliberation or of Matthew questioning Jesus or saying "Why me, Lord?". He merely rose, and followed.

Jesus knows we are sinners. He sees into our hearts and our thoughts. He understands better than we our imperfection. Yet He also knows that great things lay ahead. He still stands before us and beckons us. His words still ring in the air... "Follow Me."

C'mon, folks! Let's follow Jesus!