FOLLOWING JESUS

By Michel Card

Almost everyone who follows Jesus in the New Testament leaves something behind for His sake.

Simone and the other disciples who were fishermen left their nets and boats.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Left their father in the process as well as prosperous family business.

Matthew left behind an even more lucrative business, tax gathering. Not only do I see his tax booth abandoned alongside my visionary path, I see a pile of money on it. Once Matthew left his wealth to follow Jesus we never hear him mention money or power again! (Though the other disciples talk about it frequently.)

Others left things behind after they encountered Jesus.

The blind beggar, who used his cloak to gather the coins he begged, jumped up and left the cloak lying there after Jesus gave him sight.

The women at the well ran off and forget her water jar once she was confronted by this man who told her “everything she had ever done.”

The woman who suffered from continual bleeding left a long line of doctors behind.

The son of the widow of Nain left an empty coffin lying there by the city gate.

The sinful woman left behind an empty alabaster perfume jar.

Lazarus, perhaps most miraculous of all, left behind a pile of grave clothes and an empty tomb.