Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Andrew, apostle and brother of Peter. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Andrew and Peter were fishing, and Jesus called out to them “come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
The question becomes what does this passage of scripture tell me about the spiritual life? The most striking message, in my opinion, is the simplicity of their lifestyle, which allowed them to quickly abandon all, and follow Jesus. They left their boat and their fishing equipment, and they followed him.
In modern times, I think the question of possessions is one that many Christians ponder. How much is too much? I find this question impossible to answer, and this morning I find myself asking how much is too little? Maybe this is the better question.
As I ponder this question, I see how possessions operate as interference. By example, when we carry a cell phone into a dense forest, the cell coverage can be pretty spotty. The trees interfere with the phone’s ability to connect to the signal. In much the same way, our attachment to our lifestyle can keep us from being open to the call of Jesus.
Spend some time with the Holy Spirit pondering your own lifestyle. If Jesus called out to you today, would you be able to walk away from it all and follow him? If the answer is no, consider what you would be willing to give up in order to make yourself more open. If you wrestle with this concept, maybe consider starting today by resolving not to significantly add to that which you have today. In time, come back to the original question, and seek ways to simplify your life as you grow accustomed to the idea of possessions keeping you from being open to the call of Jesus. Pray to the Holy Spirit to help you be open to leaving behind anything that keeps you from living the fullness of Christian life.
In Him,
dw
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