“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Matthew 4:19 NIV
Jesus met Peter and Andrew tending their fishing nets by the Sea of Galilee and called them to follow him. If they did, he would make them fishers of men rather than fishers of fish. And a couple of verses later, he issued the same call to James and John. The gospel of John indicates that Jesus had earlier dealings with these men, so he wasn’t a stranger walking up and calling them to follow. But this was still a serious decision. To leave behind family and occupation and to follow Jesus wherever he led. But all four immediately left what they were doing and followed Jesus.
Jesus called these men, and others, to leave the life they knew behind them and to journey with him into the unknown. And I believe that even today, he issues the same call to some. But does he call every believer to follow him? I believe he does. He may not call us to literally walk away from everything we have known in order to follow. But he does call us all to follow him as his disciples, and as fishers of men. For most of us, the call is to follow him where we are. He called me to follow him as a husband and father, as an active and faithful church member, as a computer programmer, and now in retirement; but always following him rather than myself. Where is he leading you today? Will you follow him?