Dear Disciple,
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-20
Another day and another chance to meditate on the greatness of our Master. Another day to focus ourselves on becoming like Him in character, submission to the Father, and deep love.
When you see your Master in action in the narratives of the Gospels, there is so much to take in! For instance, when He approached fishermen working on the Sea of Galilee, why did He call them to be His apprentices? Jesus had been to Jerusalem from the time He was a child. He had interacted with the greatest minds of Israel’s spiritual leadership. Why, oh why, would He approach those men out of all the men in Israel? In the eyes of higher society, and particularly of higher religious society, Jesus’ choice was probably absurd and perplexing. Yet our Master approached them and called them very purposefully.
Jesus’ choice of disciples, or apprentices, demonstrates something wonderful about Him: He saw in people far more than others could. He had eyes to see what God could make of people rather than what people could make out of themselves or what society could make out of them. Jesus was fully aware that “what is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). He lived in the light of the fact that the Kingdom of God had come and a new order was invading. It seems He set out to purposefully demonstrate what was possible in the lives of ordinary people who are willing to lay everything down and follow Him.
I just want to point out two things for your meditation today, Disciple. First, this truth about Jesus is great news for us. Most of us are like the Corinthian disciples to whom the apostle Paul wrote so long ago. Not many of us were the wisest, most intellectual, of noble birth, or of great esteem in the eyes of the world when God called us to belong to Him through Christ. Yet here we are! Many or most of us demonstrate the glorious truth that “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:28-29). You and I can reject any temptation to exalt ourselves in the eyes of the world because we know of what little importance that is. We have been honored by the King of kings despite our lowliness, and that’s more than enough honor for us!
Second, I want to remind you that if Jesus saw people as more than meets the eye, it is absolutely crucial that we learn to do the same. Living in light of the Kingdom that has come, of the Spirit who is at work, and of the power that is available through Christ, we no longer have to treat people the way the world does. We can see the lowly and understand the greater value and potential they have in our Master’s eyes (see 2 Corinthians 5:16). We can see those catching smelly fish with eyes of flesh while also truly seeing future world-changers with eyes of faith. It is this ability that will allow us to love all as they ought to be loved – no matter who they are or what they do.
Learning to see more in everyone with you,
Ryan
