As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Matthew 9:9

Matthew left a lucrative career as a tax collector to follow Jesus. He walked away from wealth, from a powerful position, and he immediately became unemployed. When Jesus said, “Follow me and be my disciple”, that was the end of His sentence. There was no comma followed by “when you have time” or “whenever it works with your social life” or “when the ‘right people’ are watching”. He just spoke and Matthew obeyed. He didn’t even ask questions. He didn’t need time to think and plan. He just got up and walked away from his old life. There was no turning back; his life with Jesus started right then and there.

The only thing that qualified Matthew to be called by Jesus, was that he was a sinner who needed grace…just like the rest of us. While your story may not be as dramatic as Matthew’s, if you want to know God, you must follow Him. When Jesus says “follow me” He means follow my example. When Jesus says “follow me”, He means follow my heart. When Jesus says “follow me”, He means follow my purpose. When Jesus says “follow me”, He means follow me consistently, constantly, and completely. 

In order to follow Jesus, what do you need to leave behind? What addendum do you sometimes want to add to “follow me”? Jesus didn’t call you because of your talents or intelligence or kindness. He called you because you are a sinner who needed grace. He called you because you are His hands and feet; you are His church. He called you because there is much work to do to love and feed and care for others, work that may just lead others right to Him. Just like He did to Matthew, He called you to be His disciple. So follow Him well! You are loved!