18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

As a pastor, I can’t help but ponder the disciples time with Jesus. What must it have been like? Was Jesus charismatic, sarcastic, or both? Did they ever doubt Jesus? Who, other than Jesus, spent the most time talking? Who was the “tech” guy? Who was the “funny one?” I think it’s safe to say the answers to the later questions aren’t not as important, but many of the questions I have about the disciples impact me today. For example, would I have immediately followed Jesus?

The call narrative of Peter and Andrew draw us to an important quality that Jesus displays throughout the entirety of gospels. Jesus words were nearly always followed by actions. Even a simple request, “come follow me” led to two men leaving everything. These men left their families. These men left their livelihood. All for a simple carpenter with simple words.

So again, would I have immediately followed Jesus? Perhaps the better question is would you have “at once” put down your jobs, your cell phones, or your Netflix TV shows to follow him? I, like you, feel an internal desire to say “YES.” Yes, of course I would! I am a pastor after all, right? But, also like many of you, I am unsure.

Time and again I lay my head to bed and realize that the day went by faster then my brain could keep up. We all have busy lives now. In the morning it’s getting the kids to school. Mid-day it’s sitting through a meeting that should of been an email. Nighttime is when it really gets crazy. Basketball, choir, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, and all the other hundreds of extra curricular activities command our nighttime schedule. I am guessing you lay your head down with the same feeling of “Where did the day go?”

Maybe it’s an unfair question to ask. It has been 2000 plus years. After all, things do change. Or maybe, right now is the best time to ask the question. Maybe, in the midst of our social distance we finally have the emotional space and time to really find out who we follow. Is it Jesus or is the world?