Getting The Job Done
No one is born to live in the past. We are born to live, thrive, and flourish in the present moment from our first breath. And what makes it more wonderful is that Jesus is waiting to meet and welcome us from that very moment! Why does Jesus want us to follow Him in the first place? Or why does He even need us. It’s a mystery, but Jesus continues to call us everyday using the same simple words of invitation: “Follow me.”
Now surely this phrase simply means what it says, “go with Jesus.” However, Jesus wants our response to be much more. What Jesus is asking is that we bond with him. How? By leaving all we have and sharing His life, through getting to know His friends and meeting all the people that He meets. Fr. Jim Martin writes that Jesus' “follow me,” “implies a personal relationship with Jesus.” Fr. Martin continues with his insight, that the relationship with Jesus means--“join Me, live with Me, eat what I eat…share in My life.” Jesus is very clear about what He intends--when He looks us in the eye and says--"Follow Me.”
Although with every call, Jesus never gives any details. He doesn’t tell us how we can do it? With each searching question, He just responds--“Come and see.” It’s as if Jesus is saying: “Look, I don’t have much time to explain it all now. I’ll explain it all along the way.”
Jesus doesn’t like to wait too long for a response either. When Jesus says “Come and see,” Jesus means now. Remember when Jesus heard “I can’t come now, I have to bury the dead.” Jesus' reply was simply, “Let the dead bury the dead.” This may sound cruel and uncompassionate, but Jesus has an urgent mission; like “building a Kingdom” and only a short time frame to complete it
When Jesus steps into our lives today and asks, “Follow Me,” Jesus' request is to continue building His kingdom with our help! And like Jesus then, we have only our lifetime to get “the job done.”
So Jesus utters: “Come and See today” or “Go Sell what you have now” or “Buy that field immediately.” Jesus is speaking for the many who still need to hear the Word preached, or for those people who want to receive the love and mercy that Jesus left behind for them, and for those others still hungry, or without clothing, and in need of a place to stay, as well as for the many still looking to belong somewhere. Jesus knows that if the kingdom is built sooner all can be helped.
Jesus encourages us not to store our possessions in barns, or putting our light under a barrel. Rather, He wants us to give it away, and when we do we will have them forever. Our present moment is not a dress rehearsal, but the real thing. Listen for these words “follow me.” Jesus has much work yet to get done
Jesus' call--no matter when or how it comes--is simple and direct, but the details will still be unclear and imprecise. However, what is clear is that Jesus calls us all, with the same words “Follow Me.” How do we want to respond?
