Come and See – Day 18

If someone just starts following us, it is awkward.  It even begins to feel uncomfortable.  If someone follows us for a long time, it is stalking.  So to think about following Jesus in the context of today, it feels out of place.  But this wasn’t the case for the first disciples of Jesus.  They had this curiosity which led them to just simply follow. They didn’t know what they were signing up for.  They didn’t understand who Jesus was completely.  They didn’t follow because they knew there would be adventures ahead.  The first disciples followed out of curiosity.

I draw this conclusion because in the Gospel of John, when two men just start following Jesus, literally following, he turns around and asks them what they are looking for.  They don’t proclaim wonderment or some amazing ideas of what they may see.  They want to know where he is staying.  They want to spend time with him.  They want to get to know him.  They are curious and willing to follow to find out more.

Jesus invitation is one which allows for exploration.  He doesn’t tell them they need to have it together first.  He doesn’t tell them to go home and learn the scriptures.  He doesn’t give them orders to go home and change and look a certain way, talk a certain way, or even believe a certain way.  He simply asks them to come and see.  Come and see for yourself.  Come and experience time with Jesus.  When they do this, everything changes.  And it isn’t how they might have thought or dreamed.  It was better.

I can’t help but think in our culture filled with Christian thoughts, ideas, or standards if we have squelched the idea of exploration.  Have we given up curiosity in seeking Jesus?  Have we narrowed down what it means to be a Christian in such a way that we have to fit a mold, do a certain thing, live a certain way, and accomplish a list of to-do items to be a follower?  Have we made Christianity so rule based and so defined that we have set the parameters for being a follower?  

Maybe the call for each of us is one to simply follow Jesus.  What are we looking for?  Maybe we are challenged to hear him in a different way.  Maybe we are challenged to see him with fresh eyes.  Maybe we are pushed to love like him or hope like him.  Maybe we are just curious and we just see.  It could make all the difference.