Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
This passage of scripture relates the experience of the call to discipleship, as it occurred in the lives of Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who were obviously fishermen by trade. When this call was made by Christ they were gainfully employed, and their trade was what was used to pay their mortgage and support their families, yet Christ called them to discipleship, to become evangelists for His kingdom. What is important for us to note is that they left their work immediately and followed Jesus into ministry, without consulting with their spouses and children, or even with those with whom they traded. Christ called and they answered individually, leaving the consequences of their choice to Christ.
When God calls us to discipleship, the interests of His kingdom are to take immediate priority, and like the disciples of old, we are to leave the results of our choice with God, for He has promised that if we seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, all of the other necessities of life will be supplied. Satan often tempts us to believe that giving God the first place in our affections will put us at a disadvantage, and because of this, many of us are hesitant to surrender our all to Christ. But nothing can be further from the truth, for when God is given the preeminence in our thoughts, choices, and actions, everything else falls into its rightful place, and instead of living at a disadvantage, we are now empowered to live the abundant life, in every aspect of our daily experiences. This is what God has promised, and this is what He delivers. Let's read:
Matthew 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
As we travel the Christian pathway, let us trust our lives with The One who created us, and as we answer the call to discipleship, we should be willing to put the interests of God's kingdom first. On the job, at the grocery, at the social event, at the park, at school, at work, and at play, let us remember that we are called to be disciples first, and therefore our foremost interest should be in making new disciples for Christ. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of our heavenly calling, and we sincerely hope and pray that the gospel commission will be fulfilled in our lives. Let's read:
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
May God add His blessing to the doing of His word. God bless!