Jon Swanson puts sticky ideas into my awareness. He asked once, If you were leaving to follow Jesus, what would you pack?
I have a small pile of things on my office floor. We are leaving for a hiking and relaxation trip to southern Ohio hills and forests. As I remember items that I should bring I grab them and stack them in the corner—small rucksack for water and snacks, week’s supply of medicines and supplements, beef jerky, toiletries.
I’m sure that Jesus looking upon this if I were to respond to his ever-present invitation to “Follow me” would smile and wonder how long it would take me to realize I was over-packing!
I would call it a thought experiment although I’ve been there:
It’s a meeting. A dozen, more or less, people are gathered in a room. The leader states the purpose of the meeting. “Jesus had a persistent invitation when he met people. He asked them to follow him. Now, what did he really mean? Did he really expect them to get up from their business place and move? I know that Matthew and Peter and Andrew and James and John all immediately left their businesses to literally follow him. But us?”
And they discussed the meaning of following Jesus for hours. Weeks. Sermons were preached. Classes were taught.
Did Jesus ask us to discuss following? Did he ask us to dissect the meaning of following?
I have this funny quirk when I study Jesus’s words. I think he meant what he said. I think he meant literally following.
We can find a way to serve others. And we should do it. We don’t need a committee meeting or group discussion. Jesus has a funny way of putting opportunities before us that we may not recognize at first. Just being kind and helpful is a start.
Faith Venture 
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